February 11, 1984 No 48
NEWS
—
U)\
FREE LYNX LISTING
Draw the nght ”” to escape from Ondtra p
SPECTRAVIDEO TEST
S Met the Japanese - IVfSX micro standard
EPSON AS/DES
Sideways printing I
HX-20 J
- > >/ I
on the
■*" TEsfpLAY
■cJSSSS*
> > > /
Vtf.V#'
AAA
DRAGON DISK DRIVES
a microfloppy
9
v*
YD(W CHANCE,
X
vv
4 600X1
J
PRO-TESTOF THE 800X1
PULL-OUT
W
' THESE PEOPLE' AREN'T MCE TM GETTING OUT V Of HERE! >
They will make your co go crazy with rear.
" One of the best examples of user-defined graphics that I have ever seen, along with excellent sound effects. ”
. . . Home Computing Weekly
" One of our best games yet.’’
. . . Terry Grant, Rabbit software director
“An obscene celebration of slaughter."
. . . Home Computing Weekly
"My Terry wouldn ’t do a thing like that.’
. . .Terry’s mum
Now appearing at your local computer games shop, Boots, WH Smith and Rumbelows.
lin*LLa*U (ut Specbutm, fUJC~2.0 & GRM-64.
PRO TEST HARDWARE
Monitor 2
Sinclair QL likely to be late, page 2; Fuller aims to fulfill promises* page 3; Commodore presses ahead with plans, page 4; Toy-makers shy away from micros, page 5; MSPQS is served on a chip" page 7.
PCN Charts 9
Random Access 13
Send us a letter. Your words of wisdom could earn you a tenner.
Routine inquiries 14
If you've gol a problem ask our experts.
Microwaves 16
Readers' hints and routines for the Vic 20, Spectrum* Commodore 64, Memotech and Lynx,
Readout 23
Our weekly look all he new books,
PCN Programs 64
Lynx: Gridtrap, an exciting game of strategy for you to type in.
Databasics 73
All the peripherals you need to extend your system.
Billboard 82
Buy, sell or exchange your micro products.
February 11, 1984
No 48
Dragon drives 18
Shrinking disk storage comes to the Dragon via Sony's 3m drives. Brian Cadge looks at the hardware together with a new interface and toolkit.
Quit/Datelines 88
Dates for your diary plus more microcomputing idiocies.
Epson Extension 25
Make more of your HX20*s printer with this machine code utility that lets you print sideways.
A new twist tor Epson
An A to Z of Atari
Part two looks at the vast range of software available, gives a round* up of Atari books and features the second instalment of Atari Basic,
Win an Atari 600XL 23
You could w in a share of £1 ,250 of prizes. We're giving away six Atari 600XLs, copies of the Atari writer word processor and versions of Donkey Kong to run on A laris. Commodores or the TI-99/4A.
Spectravideo standards 33
The new MSX 'standard' was variously welcomed and derided.
Now John Lett ice gives a full test to the first micro claiming MSX compatibility: the Spectravideo 32H.
Atari 800 revisited 38
Beneath the exterior of the Atari 800XL. Geof Wheelwright finds an old friend.
PRO-TEST PERIPHERALS
Screen economy 20
Monitor prices arc dropping, David Janda tries two units from JVC that offer colour displays at less than the cost of a TV.
the cheap
PRO-TEST SOFTWARE
C is for Apple 53
Richard King examines a C compiler for the Apple.
Educated BBC 52
Just how good is educational software? Colin Cohen gives his marks to five packages for the BBC Micro,
EtgM arms make light of leaning
GAME PLAY
Spectrum 57
From alien worlds to multi-storey car parks.
Vic-20 60
Go flying or risk death in Zorgon's kingdom.
Commodore 64 59
All action round-up of five new releases.
PCN MONITOR
Curse descends on QL
By Ian Scjfei
The old and the new — ZX&l stages a comeback while QL buiMs up a back tog.
Microcomputing's oldest curse is dhou e 10 fill I tin its newest sensa I ion . I he Sinclair QL. the latest shooting star, is likely to be in shun supply
According to Sinclair Research it greatly underestimated the initial demand (or the QL It is taking orders at the mo men I al the rate of about 5(11 a day — la save you the trouble ihis works oul at £*#7?,{KMI a week.
The company is currently prepar¬ ing to issue le I ters to I hose w ho have ordered, explaining ihe expected delay. It has already si a rted sending out cards to people who have ordered the machines to confirm that their orders are ‘being pro¬ cessed'.
Perhaps users are entitled to express cynicism and frustration at this (not unexpected) development — • it seems to happen with every product Sinclair releases. To be fair, however, even Sinclair was not prepared tor such a response. I lie QL is. after all, ostensibly a busi- ness machine
Part of the problem is simply that the company’s products have
proved to be so popu lar t hat Sincla it never expects the demand they generate.
■ Meanwhile, reports of the ZXNI's death appear to have been greatly exaggerated. Against all odds the machine continues to sell in vast numbers. According to Sinclair the orders from retailers indicated thai people were buying again during the run-up to Christ¬ mas | pc I haps par 1 1 y as a result of t he Spectrum drought).
Sinclair expected ZXH1 produc¬ tion to continue but to he devoted to 'third world' countries (including Red China).
Instead of this the ZX8I con¬ tinues to occupy a prime cheapest available computer' slot at the bottom of the market where there is i e ally no direct competition — especially when available software is taken into consideration. Sinclair suggests that it provides a low-cost introduction to people who want to come to terms with a computer and mi be better placed to make a
considered buy later, when they know what they require.
However, there is undoubtedly a largely untapped source of sales in coun tries rarely considered in terms of the microcomputer boom. Fol¬ low i ng the recen t success of the Oric in France , Spain has become one of the big new markets for Sinclair.
[lie company recently ran an extensive promotion there.
Prices of daisies still dropping fast
Following last week’s news of ihc drop in the price of daisywheel printers the cost of the Snulh- Coroaa TP-1 has been cut still further, this time by Intelligent Interfaces, to £235-75- The rapid drop in the price of daisywheels may be attributable to the increase in dot matrix quality. New dot matrix printers arc being made in Japan thai rival daisywheel quality while running much raster
and more q uic tl y As they find t heir way into the UK. the bottom may dropout of the cheap end of the daisywheel market .
Ilte next stage could well prove to be a reduction in the costs (if not immediately in the prices) of non¬ impact printing Ion deposition and laser printers are steadily coming down in puce, in obedience to the same rules of technological and commercial development that are affecting pricvs of daisywheel and dot matrix devices.
For the present , non impact prin¬ ters will be well beyond the range id most computer users and this is likely to be the case for some lime to come.
Dealers are baled out
By faipti Bancroft
In the wake of the collapse of Computers for All (Issue 47 )t manufacturers and supple rs have rallied round to help out C for A's 50- plus dealt i network.
First off the mark was Apple which has written to the dealers to say that it will supply them direct and provide after-sales support.
Prism Microproducts, which sup¬ plied Computers for All with Sinc¬ lair Spectrum* , is also considering
By Writdie Ptarum
A I mart Data Systems has been rescued by High Technology Elec- ironies Limited (HTE) in a deal struck on January 21, HTE. a subsidiary of the giant Grand Metropolitan Group, has bought Alinarc's business, but not ihc company itself, ensuring that sales and maintenance of the Spinl micro Tange will continue normally ( Issue 40)
Tim Roberts, managing director of HTE in Southampton, said: ‘We’ve bought Ihe assets, Almare s name and the premises and kft the rest to the receiver to sort out - They are a very good company and we
how it can he Ip out the dealers, ‘We are looking kindly on them,' said Prism's deputy managing director, Terry Brown, ‘We will continue to supply them by using slock that was already allocated to Computers for Al I a nd u i 1 1 honour a ny ret urns they have received.'
Acorn, which is owed the largest sum by Computers for AIL con¬ firmed that it will also continue to supply machines cither direct or through its regional distributors. One problem it has yet to sort out is that C for A was the regional distributor for Kent and Essex, so it w II I now have to find anothc r firm to take over the task.
like their products, which are compatible with onr own — we make micros for a number of suppliers, including the Minstrel system for Hotel Microsystems.’
Mr Roberts added that Almare was no longer a limited company, but a business, and that a company called Newport Management Li¬ mited had been formed two days before the takeover for the sole purpose of buying Airfare's assets.
Newport will be a subsidiary of HTE but will trade under the name of Almare with the Spiro micro range continuing to sell from the same 30 dealers. Meanwhile, the head office remains in Nottingham.
VOCALIST — Commodore's speech unit. Magic Voice, will be available at an add-on foe the Commodore 64 within the next few weeks. The unit is digital, and comes with a 250 word vocabulary. It tothe same baric system at thM going into at toast one of the new range of Commodores (Issue 46), due to be released In May. Magic Voice will be transformed into a more practical and powerful device when a text -to- speech conversion cartridge to released In the summer. Commodore has plans to pot speech into most of Ki programs. rtWwfll publish an exclusive pro-test of Magic Voice in Issue SO,
The Spirit of survival
PCN FEBRUARY 1 1 !s*H4
PCN MONITOR
Fuller lays it on line
By Uhtt Lettke
After months of wailing, and many irate customers bier, the Fuller FDS keyboard for the Spectrum is. according to Fuller's Roy Back- house, at last readily available.
Mr Backhouse promised the keyboards would be sold directly to customers at the Tenth ZX Micro- fair last weekend, so if you were there* now you know ,
Bui why has the FDS's gestation period been so long, and why did Fuller continue to advertise it and build up a waiting list for it through last year when it wasn't available? Last autumn Mr Backhouse told PCN that the company had been going through a reorganisation —
he now says this was a lot more searching than had been envisaged. The problem, he says, is the micro ind list ry has been evolvi ng from t he position of supplying a small enthu¬ siast's market into a big business, and that Fuller has had to make this transition.
He also points to a fire and a succession of burglaries as having held up the I PS, and says that the introduction of weekly computer magazines had caught the company on the hop. 'We were expecting a three munlh lead time before the ads actually appeared.' This last point won't cut much ice with people who replied to regular ads in weekly and monthly magazines.
Fuller's formal announcement of FDS availability, and lo a lesser extent Mr Backhouse himself, show a breathtaking lack of contrition, But he does say that with hindsight it might have been beticrlo hold the advertising until the FDS was ready . Even so . after the embarras¬ sing success of the FDS keyboard in 1983' and 'virtually from its concep¬ tion the FDS keyboard has been unique' are absurdly extravaganl claims.
PCN is also deeply sceptical about the claim that the Mierodnve is easily adapted to go inside . 1 Well let you know once we've bought the hacksaw .
Nevertheless at first sight the
FDS does seem a good product Fuller claims to be producing I *000 a week, and producing a 2K day turnaround on orders. If it is to succeed* Fuller is going to have to put a lot of work into regaining some of its credibility. Mr Back¬ house says the company has estab¬ lished a consumer hotline (Liver¬ pool 709 92H0) to deal with custom¬ ers’ queries, and has promised to deal with the letlers of complaint that PCN has received from cus¬ tomers.
For the future, the company plans to adapt the Orator unit to the BBC and the Dragon, and to produce an expansion box for the FDS.
COMMENT TI/13MM03
Soft shock due
QL quick wits
An independent Sinclair QL user group has been set up. proving that others besides Sir Clive are deter¬ mined to slay one jump ahead.
The non-profit making group, I.QLUG, is the progeny of Leon Heller and Brian Pain who founded and run NATUG for TR540 and Genic users.
QL fans are urged lo write 'in if you are having trouble with your system', Their biggest trouble is likely to lie in working out how many monthly newsletters will ar¬ rive before the machine itself
If you want lo take advantage of the cu rre nt si x-nion t h trial subscri p- tion for 025. coni act Brian Pain (Acting Secretary), 24 Oxford Street, Stony Stratford* Milton Keynes.
fly John Lettice
A major upheaval looks to be on the way in software publishing and one of t he first results you 'll sec could be a reduction in the number of independent software producers.
Quieksilva. a company that de¬ monstrated a talent for prophecy by being among the First to produce software for the Spectrum* expects a shake-out. 'Our contention is that there are too many software houses competing in this country,' says Quicksilva's Rod Cousins. 'In the near future you'll see reciprocal
marketing agreements* mergers and liquidations.'
Clearing the decks for this possi¬ bility the company has announced an agreement with New Generation Software which gives Quieksilva a worldwide marketing and distribu¬ tion rights for New Generation's Commodore b4 games.
Negotiations arc also underway with Thorn F.MI and CBS to give one of these companies manufac¬ turing. distribution and marketing rights for Quieksilva games in all countries bar the UK and US. It's
still uncertain which one il's going to he. but CBS seems the likelier.
Mr Cousins sees these moves taking Quieksilva into a position similar lo a conventional pub¬ lisher's. hui they don't mean the company is looking lo take over a succession of smaller houses in the future.
Quieksilva'* announcement comes at the same time as the launch of a number of new games. The most interesting of these is the Snowman, which confounds ihe Tolkien estate by being based on Raymond Briggs' hook of the same name. Follow-ups based on Fungus the Bogey Man and When l he Wind Blows are also planned. The Snow ¬ man is for the 4KK Spectrum.
r
I _ _ mi —
More uttwarvofl the way forth* Son! MS from CCL-
CGL whets Sord
IBM Piper
'Keeping the M5 customer satis¬ fied' has become an urgent priority of CGL, i he UK distributor of Sard's micro. Despite an enthusias¬ tic response lo the Japanese machine (Issue 12) from I he press and re I ailers. M5 users have until now been somewhat out on a limb.
As part of an intensive 'develop¬ ment programme' CGL has announced plans for more soft¬ ware. hardware add-ons, and sup¬ port, If you own an M5 your warranty card will entitle you to membership of the new M5 Users’
Club. This free service, primarily intended to keep owners fully up to date with new products, also gives you access to a technical 'hot -line',
David Morein, C’GL’s managing director was reluctant to give any details about his new products but M5 Focus, theitcwsleitcr produced by CGL. is more forthcoming. A new printer, the PT5. and a 32 K KAN1 pack 'extension box arc now available with a MS disk system promised soon.
New software will include games and educational programs.
By Geof Wheelwright
The first IBM ‘com portable' with a built-in LCD screen is due for release in the UK this September* five months after its US debut.
It is produced by Semi-Tech Microelectronics — the Canadian company that introduced the lugg¬ able Pied Piper Computer last year — and will sell for between $25tKi and $3000, The 1 6- hit machine is based around ihc Intel StftSb chip (which ii claims is HUKb and MOKH compatible) and will come cquip- ped with iwo I Mb floppy disks as standard (each with a formatted opacify of 800k),
ft will also support a 16-linc by HfLcha racier Liquid Crystal Dis¬ play with upper and lower case using true descenders and an elec- tiol urn i ne seen I hack I ight pancf ge t\ round ihe problem of LCDs being difficult lo read in poor light The STM PC will run RGB and composite video monitors and claims to he IBM colour graphics
compatible. In the US it will also come standard with a built-in modem with auto-dialling and a 'hands-free' phone facility. It also comes with a built-in 40-column thermal printer and can do screen dumps of HO-column texl .
Standard interfacing includes one parallel port, two RS232C serial I'll plugs, a hard disk expan¬ sion bus and an IBM PC look a like bus expansion connector. It uses an IBM -style sculptured low- profile det a tellable keyboard with a numeric keypad and ten function keys.
The SI M PC will also have a collection of bundled software in¬ cluded in the price. Among that software wilt be MSDOS version 2, Microsoft GW Basic and a word* pnxEssor/sprcadshecVfilert da \a - base package I hat will probably come from Perfect Software which wrote ihe package currently in¬ cluded with I he price of the Pied Piper.
W. N FEBRUARY II i¥84
PCN MONITOR
VIEW FROM JAPAN
Compatibility trail goes cold in Tokyo
‘Vout assignment, should you choose to accept ft, is to investigate rumours that deep in secret laboratories our arch foe, Japan Inc, is about to start cloning the IBM PC/
This is the kind of job that calls for a Fedora and a cigarette dangling from a stiff upper lip. The upper lip is no problem — outside snow is failing for the first time in 14 years and upper lips are not only stiff, but blue with cold.
On Tokyo's mean streets the first place to look for a lead is the local software pusher After all, lie's the man everybody turns to when they need a quick fix of word processing, database management, or operating systems. HeHd know wfiat sort of deals are going down in this town if anybody would.
But you don't get something tor nothing, particularly where software is concerned. I crossed his palm with a yen but when that proved insufficient I greased his palm with ten of them and asked him: 'Compatibility?'
Only three worth mentioning, he told me, at least of local manufacture. Hitachi MB- 16, Toshiba Pasopia-16, and Sanyo MBC-555-
This didn't seem like a tenner's worth but he didn't have much more. There is plenty of OEM work going on for US com panics from small and not -so- small manufacturers, but most are blowing a tot of smoke and covering their tracks,' he said.
Well thanks, but no thanks. I decided on a different approach; perhaps the resident chip-heads could come up with some better answers. On asking around I managed to comer the addicted mainframe mainliner of the local IBM User club and questioned him: 'Compatibility?'
Eagle, Compaq, Hyperion . . . that's what they're all talking about.
I cut him off; we've all been through that loop before. 4What about local manufactured I said. Error trap. 'It's this way. Apart from Sanyo they don't want their brand names to be seen slavishly following the market leader. Besides, having taken so long to catch on to CP/lt, they figure the future may lie with CP/M-S6 (unless they're shipping something else overseas and not telling us about it}.'
There was one final hope in tracking down the cloning laboratories that everybody talks about but nobody knows. There is a Pommy called Mr Big who cracked the retail trade when the Japanese retailers didn't know CP/M from ABC; he moved in wrth aZ80 machine and cornered the English language word processing market. Brochures, service man Lais, advertising m ate rial for the export market — big volu mes, big money, hence his name. And be did it with a Sanyo,
The chances were good that herd be doing the same with a Japanese IBM -compatible. I staggered stagily into his shop: 'Clone . . . IBM . , . Japanese' I gasped.
'Sanyo ... six months,1 he smiled, 'but let me show you , * /
'Bundled?' I interrupted.
'Not for domestic users,' he said as though dictating to a tape recorder, 'But let me show you a really nice US model . . / ! fled.
On the way back to the office I tried to piece things together. Basically, the Japanese still don't understand the applications preoccupation of western users. Until they do they probably won't understand the need for compatibility with the market leafier.
This is a form of cosmetic high technology and no relation at all to the biological high technology of cloning. And this is what I was going to report until I noticed that a new and anonymous disk had appeared on my desk, I put It into the drive.
There are rumours circulating to the effect that Japan Inc is now investigating the possibility of a Macintosh-compatible system. Your assignment, should you choose to , , /
I pulled out the 45 from the drawer it shares with a bottle of whisky and shot the computer in the drives from close range. Enough b enough.
CBM denial
Despite management re -shuffles in the wake of Jack Tram id's depar¬ ture (Issue 4b) Commode ire is unlikely to change its plans to introduce a new range of machines.
Plans arc well advanced to launch a new model, endenamed the 264. in the UK around May or June. It will have 64K of RAM and will cumc with a range of bundled software included in the price thought to be around the £400 mark
There had been speculation in the US that Commodore was put¬ ting back its plans for the 264 until the end of the year.
The speculation was fuelled hy the news that following Mr Tra- mid's resignation four other senior executives had left the company. Their responsibilities were taken over by Sol Davidson, the com¬ pany's genera) manager, who was publicly quoted as saying that Commodore was re-examining the 264 and would introduce the system
FUZZY LOGIC — Fed up with the tuuy display that a Spectrum produces on your TV? Do you have £249 (plus VAT 1 7 You do? then phone 0274 39001 1 and ask Microvttec about its Cub monitor for the Spectrum, The 1431/MZ comes in a metal cabinet ‘finished in matt Wick to match the appearance of the Spectrum'. Inside is i standard colour monitor with an RGBTTL input and an additional card carrying an interface tuned to match exactly the TV output from the Spectrum. Of course, you may think that with a monitor costing twice the price of your micro you should throw away the Spectrum and buy aQL. Not to worry, the 143 1MZ will work with that as well.
'when there is a need for it'. Commodore in ihe UK was quick lo deny the suggestion than he 264 would not appear in the UK until the end of the year
I he re i s no change i n ou r plans to introduce the 264/ said John Bax¬ ter. Commodore UK's marketing manager 'We already have machines in the country and have already started to make arrange¬ ments for the launch, ‘
However, he refused to be drawn on just when the machine will be launched and what its specification will be. "We are making no announcements on what the pro¬ duct will be, how much memory it will have or what the price will he until it is launched.' he said.
There will be a lot of surprises when it is launched.' he added.
Mr Baxter also suggested that the machine might appear in Europe before the US. The need to satisfy FCC regulations on radio interfer¬ ence is holding up the US version.
Hard cache
A Cambridge company, Eicon Research, has come up w-ith a solution to the problem of how to connect several micros to a hard disk without any appreciable loss of access speed.
Called Cache -Net, it combines a harddisk with direct memory access techniques to produce average data transfer rates of 250K per second. Overall, the company claims. Cache -Net is likely to be about ten
times faster than other systems tike Ethernet,
The system can handle up to 21 micros and interfaces are available for six different machines including the IBM PC. Apple It and NEC A PC.
A system with a IliMh hard disk. 1 2HK RAM. interface and software costs £2,595 plus VAT. A 20Mb disk with 256 K RAM costs 0.255. T he company is on 11954 818825.
KN FEBRUARY H I4W4
PCN MONITOR
Toymakers retreat
By Geoff Wheelwright
Toy manufacturers seem to have
retreated in droves from the micro
business.
At this year's British Toy and Hobby Fair, several major com¬ panies were conspicuous by their absence- Maud, for instance, has apparently abandoned the electro- nics field with not so much as one IrrttUbmirvn unit on show .
At last year's show, the Maud stand was dominated by the Intel- livision games machine and the Aquarius micro. Since then. Mattel has gone through two managing directors and abandoned the Aquarius and. indeed, the compu¬ ter market altogether. Instead, the company was making much of Ms new range of Green Goddess Barbie dolls — and t he lady whose name will be the draw card on these dolls was there in person to sign autographs.
Conspicuous by its total absence this year was Texas Instruments — which has traditionally brought its Speak and Spell computer learning toys to such shows — and last year was exhibiting the Texas Tl 99/4A and the Tl 99/2 micro. The Tl 99/2 subsequently turned out to be still-born and the Tt 99/4 A died a swift death late last year when Tf announced it was pulling out of the home micro market.
The survivors are Coleeo and Atari — which both displayed their new wares at the fair. Atari was touting the new XL range of machines (for more oil those fee the Atari Micropaedia in this issue) and Coleeo aimed to astound the world by showing the Adam home compu¬ te r system for the first time in the UK (the Adam was exclusively reviewed in PCS Issue 3K|
A It hough CBS Electronics, which distributes the Adam and the Coleeo games machine in this country, wasn't willing to give a definite price for the Adam, a spokesman for the company did say the conversion unit for the games machine should be available by the end of next month, and selling for
Tomy's talk-lo-m* mobile robot advancing
about £499. He also said the stand-alone Adam system would be ready to ship in April at the final U K price of about £599.
The Adam was considered a great price breakthrough when it was originally announced in the US last year as it includes a built-in word processor, digiial tape drive,
HOK of memory and a daisywheel printer , The machine will also accept all of the Coleeo games machine software add-ons, includ¬ ing the conversion box that allows the games machine to run all of Atari's 2b(D VCS games machine software.
On the software front, the toy fair produced the first appearance of non -Sinclair cartridge software for the Spectrum. Palitoy UK is im¬ porting a large number of Parker Brothers video game titles for the Atari computers and the Commod¬ ore M — and it has completed development work on Star Wars — Return of the Jcdi — Death Star Buttle cartridge game for the Spec¬ trum. Though Palitoy would not say how much the Spectrum cartridge software will cost it hinted that it should he available in the shops by mid -summer.
A company spokesman said the
J list ftw hm ■ Tomy lor tots and a full travel keyboard.
Spectrum was considered a prime candidate for cartridge software conversion because of the number of Interface 2 joystick cartridge software units Sinclair expects to have sold hy the year's end (.VXI.IKMI). If the Spectrum conver¬ sions prove popular a number of other Parker games could be con¬ verted including Spidcrman. Pope ye, Frogger. The Lord of the Rings. Q'hert and Reactor.
There may be meagre supplies of software and little hardware com¬ ing from toy ma nu facto rets . bu 1 1 he computer environment' involved an the toy business seems to be growing by leaps and bounds. For example. Tomy — which special¬ ises in products for young children — released a variety of toys at the show that cannot help but bring home to children the new high-tech environment ibev live in.
Typical of these was the Tomy voice recognition robot — a £35 R2P2 look-alike which responds to its owite r’s voice by carrying out one of eight different commands which have it pick up objects, go forward, backwards, left and right, speak and place objects, Also significant in the ‘micro awareness' sweep¬ stakes was I he Tomy Tutor Play Computer, which uses a plastic ‘keyboard' and imifaiion VDU screen to introduce very young children to alphabets, words and numbers. This micro Has no RAM. needs no power and sells for the nominal price of £12. It is in the line of toy cash registers and toy telephones, and with it the wheel has turned lull circle.
PCS FFBRI ARi II 1W4
5
I
MOTHERBOARDS
r
RAM PACKS
VIC 20 16K STANDARD _ £27 95
VIC 20 16K SWITCHABLE -£35 95
VIC 20 32K SWITCHABLE _ £4995
VIC 20 64K RAM PACK _ £64 95
VIC 20 and CRM GA nrf reQJd trade marks Commodore Business Machines
VIC 20 4 SLOT SWITCHABLE - £28.95
VIC 20 5 SLOT SWITCHABLE -£34.45
CBM 64 4 SLOT SWITCHABLE - £29.95
JOYSTICKS
40/80 COLUMN CARDS
PRO ACE JOYSTICK
VIC 20/CBM 64 -£12.95
VIC 20 40/80 COLUMN CARD - £64.95
CBM 64 40/80 COLUMN CARD - £64.95
LIGHT PENS
PIXSTICK FOR VIC 20/CBM 64
(Includes Paint Box & 3 Games) — £29.95
|
Home |
|
|
Computer |
\ — - -1 |
|
Centre |
|
|
29 MHIcroft, Crosby* Liverpool L23 9XJ |
|
|
Tel |
051*727 8050 |
ASTEHfRET TRADING LTD INCORPORATES HOME COMPUTER CENTRE
'delete as applicable r
HI PIXSTICK VIC 20/CMB 64* "
. _ VIC 20 5 Slot Motherboard
_ VIC 20 40/80 Column Card
_ 64K Ram Pack
I CBM 64 40/80 Column Card
Name
Address
Please debit my Access
SSL 1 1 1 1 1 I I 1 1 1 1 I I I J-ilJ
Joystick VIC 20/ CBM 64 I enclose Cheque. P0 for £
16K Std Ram Pack 16K Switchable Ram Pack
32K Switchable Ram Pack Please allow up to 21 days for delivery VIC 20 4 Slot Motherboard All prices include V.A.T,, postage and CBM 64 4 Slot Motherboard packing.
V
rlkWklu J I UJ t|g.
MSDOS now served on chips
After CP/M on a chip i is^uc 44) it now looks as though MSDOS on a chip will be a reality before the year is out.
Interestingly, the company pro¬ ducing the chip is mighty Intel which also manufactures the SUMS processor chip used in the IBM- PC and IBM look-alikes.
The move by the company puts the final seal on MS DOS's claim to be the standard operating system for 16-bil micros. With the ready availability of the chip and its compatibility with the NUKH and HD86 processor chips it provides manufacturers with an easy route to building a micro to compete with the IBM PC — although the differences between PCDOS and MSDOS may grow as the year progresses.
Having the operating system on a chip avoids the cost and complica¬ tions of having to build disk drives intoa machine.
The main gain for users is that it now makes it possible to build
portable micros usi ng MSDOS that don't need disk drives to function. This time nest year wc could well see a rash of MSDOS lap- he Id micros that combine the conveni¬ ence of the NEC PC-3201 A and the Tandy 100 with a measure of IBM compatibility,
At the same time, of course, a parallel wave of similarly -sized machines is likely to be rolling in from Japan, equipped with Micro¬ soft's MSX. Of the candidates for (he title of standard operating system' the company is strongly represented on home and business systems — MSDOS is uhiquilous in the business Be Id and MSX is being spoken of as a possible standard for home micros despite the fact that so far it is restricted to Japanese micros. Microsoft aims to break this circle in the near future by announc¬ ing a European MSX micro manu¬ facturer, and at around the same time it could well name a prominent UK company as a main distributor of MSX micros in this country .
Dual chance — Euroelect run ics (Q242-5620Q9J has done a nice amount of business, (hank you very much, out of Hi ZX Lprint interface for the Spectrum. Now the company has brought out ZX lprint III, a printer interface that is switch able between RS232 Mid Catitnunics outputs. No extra software is needed to print out text or high resolution graphics as it all comes built-in together with the ability to print in colour using suitable printers. The interface costs £35 and a printer cable £10.
Taiwan rotten Apples jugged
A pplc has won an importan i victory over Taiwanese manufacturers of what have become known as 'rotten Apples’.
As a result of a district court judgement six Taipei businessmen actually face prison sentences of
eight months for breaching the copyright on Applesoft Basic and the AutoStan ROM.
This decision comes a month after the US company won a criminal suit against two other Taiwanese companies, hul in that case the sentences were suspended ln the case settled last week the defendants plan to appeal against the sentence and could yet avoid jail.
SOFTWARE
The new releases
Qric-1: Storv Book, to train
Games
BBC. Electron; FBC Systems (0332 365230) is in the process of adapting BBC games to run on the Electron . Valley of the Phar- oahs and Star Trader, both at £7.95, will be among the first — the next releases for the BBC are Space Adventure Two and Star Force Lander, the runner for £7.95 and the latter for £6.95. Micro Byte Software (06373 6K86) has issued an arcade-style 3D game. Space Ranger, priced at £7.95 Of £J l .95 on disk, for the BBC.
Spectrum: The fur flies in two new games from Artie (0401 43553), both of which feature animals. Monkey Bizness for £5-95 is a kind of Donkey Kong, and Bear Bower isapparenily no picnic for £6.95. Islets of Lange rhans is an adventure from Amazing Games . B urges* Hill „ Susse x ; not for the squeamish this involves a journey lo the said islets (on the Si Pancras line, according to PC, Vs biology correspondent).
Apple: From the l/S come Mr Cool and Mini) Man , distributed in the UK by Pete & Pam (0706 212321). Mr Cool is an ice-cube — praet ice your sk i II at avoiding a melt-down for £24 .95; Mini! Man is a defender-style game, for £14.55
Various: Alligata <0742 755005), producer of games for the Dra¬
gon, One, Commodore and Acorn micros, has published whal amounts to a spring cata¬ logue with a new software pri¬ marily in the BBC and Electron line. Dambuslcrs and Eagle Empire, both £7,95 1 arc the first offerings for the new year.
Education
BSC; English and maths are the subjects covered bv MP Sofwarc (051-334 3472) with its latest releases Password (£11) is de¬ signed to teach spelling and comprehension'. Cul'n'Val (£14.50) deals wilh arithmetic for seven to L6-year olds; Accurate (£11) is slightly more advanced. Ega Beva «E72 710)03) has made its first two launches. Jigsaw Puzzle and Sliding Block Puzzle. Jigsaw Puzzle is a mem¬ ory training exercise. Sliding Block teaches co-ordination and patience. Both cost £9 95
Spectrum: ID crops up m education as well as games. Camel Micros has re leased 3 D ■ Spc II for the 4MK Spectrum, a game wnh four levels of spelling difficulty and th ree leve Is of game -play d if ficul- ty. The price is £5.95.
Orie: Softback* is a title chosen by a software house at PO Box 257. Watford, to suggest lhat compu¬ ters will take over from books, which heaven forbid. The com¬ pany has two offerings for the
young readers or foreign lan¬ guage students, and Picture Book, to develop spelling skills. Softback* is on 0923 53432.
Business
Commodore: Multiplan, Microsoft's spreadsheet, now runs on the Commodore 64 and will cost users £ HI). Kobra Micro Market¬ ing (til -997 6666) is the exclusive UK agent for the package on this micro.
IBM: Also from Kobra is Wordplus- FC with Boss, the Uiidt-in On¬ line Spelling System . Wordpfus is reckoned to he one of 711. IKD word processing packages in use around the world, but according to US sources it is pushing Wordstar in the popularity
stakes. With Boss the package costs £399.
Triumph Adler: Flexipay 2. a payroll package lor the Alpha! runic micros, now includes OCR char¬ ade r printing and an Autopay facility. It costs £375.
Epson: Desk master 2/D is Kuma's latest addition to the expanding series, putting a word processor on the F!X-2fi in association with the TF-211 twin disk unit. It costs £49.50; Kuma is on 07357 4335-
Seiko: Intelligence (UK) (01-740 5758) has implemented more than 40 packages ranging from accounting to office automation applications on the Seiko 8600. launched (our months ago. The software includes products from Peachtree. Sapphire, Paxton and Graham- Dorian,
PUN FFBR (JAR Y 1 11 MtM
7
DIAL SOFTWARE
Presents:
Educational Software for the BBC MICRO AND ELECTRON
|
Adventure Quiz |
— |
Base 10 |
£4.95 |
|
32 K |
— |
Bertie Bear |
£4.95 |
|
Beds |
— |
C urve Stitch PI a nner |
£4 95 |
|
Childs Play Pack |
— |
File Handler |
£6.50 |
|
Fantasy Ad venture |
— |
Cesil |
£4.95 |
|
FinancePack |
— |
Four-in-a-Row |
£4.95 |
|
Get the Message |
— |
Golforama |
£4.95 |
|
Maihs Pack |
— |
Numberhang |
£4.95 |
|
Odds-On Monarch* |
— |
Odds-On Writers |
£4.95 |
|
Odds -On Musicians |
— |
Odds-On Countries |
£4.95 |
|
Odds-On Britain |
— |
Odds-On Inventors |
£4.95 |
|
Plotter |
— |
Word Processor |
£6.50 |
|
Tripute |
— |
Word square |
£4.95 |
|
Unimo |
— |
Sc fence Pack |
£4.95 |
|
BBC Kaleidoscope |
— |
BBC Octuple! |
£9.50 |
|
F renc h Vocabulary |
— |
£9.50 |
Add £ f.SO for programs on Disc & SOp p&p,
These Ldn be obtained from;
D1ALSOFT
72 DOWNEND ROAD, DOWNEND, BRISTOL BS16 5UE TEL: 0272 569812
or send an SAB lo obtain our latest Hnxhure
Ess
DISCOUNT SOFTWARE SUPPLIES
AMAZING SOFTWARE BARGAINS BY MAIL
TELEPHONE ORDERS WELCOME 100s OF TITLES AVAILABLE
SPECTRUM OUR PRICE
1 MANC MINER BUG BYTE £4 95
2 HALL OF TH E T HINGS CRYSTAL £6 SO
3 R0 M M E LS RIVE NGE CRYSTAL £6 50
4 ATiCATAC ULTIMATE £4 50
5 JETPAC ULTIMATE £4 50
6 LUNAR JETMAN ULTIMATE £J 50
7 MR WIMPY OCEAN £5 20
B HUNCHBACK OCEAN re 20
9 KONG OCEAN £5 20
10 CHEQUEREOFLAG PS ION £5 95
1 1 JET SET WILL Y S W PRODUCTS £5 TO
12 0UG-ABOOFLEE 0UICKSILVAE5 95
13 3DANT ATTACK QUICKS I LVA £5 95
14 ZZ00M IMAGINE £4 49
15 ARCADIA IMAGINE £4 49
COMMODORE 64
1 30 TIME TREK
2 HEXPfflT
3 MOON BUGGY
4 PILOT 64
5 SPIRIT MAN
6 HDWER BOWER
7 ATTACK OF THE MUTANT CAMELS
8 RING OF POWER
VIC 20
1 KRAZYKONG
2 LASER ZONE
3 MATRIX
4 ARCADIA
5 JETPAC
ANIROG E4 95 AMROGE699 AMR0GE699 ABBfXCTSO INTERCEPT OR £5 95
LLAMASOFTE650
QUICKSILVAEB9S
AMR0GC5 00 LLAMASOFTE6 50 LLAMASOFT £6 50 IMAGINE £4 75 ULTIMATE £4 75
TEL: 01-221 1473
SPECIAL OFFERS FOR SPECTRUM THE HOBBIT - MELBOURNE HSE £10.95 VALHALLA -LEGEND £11.95
ALL PRICES INCLUDE POSTAGE +• PACKING SEND CHEQUE /POSTAL QROERS TO
OSS DISCOUNT SOFTWARE SUPPLIES
B PORTLAND ROAD. LONDON W114LA.
ACCESS WELCOME
NEW ORIGINAL GAMES FOR THE COMMODORE 64
• NIGHTMARE PARK is m fact a compendium of 14
games The task qI ihe user is to gam as many pewits as possible travelling through a maze beset by obstacles at every turn T hese mf uri ai>ong obstacles are overcome by a combination of sML sharp reflexes or by sheer good luck making Nightmare Park a suitable game for all ages
PRICE £7.99
• DOTS & BOXES is an i meiiige nt game where the user and
the computer lake luma in completing boxes by drawing a hne between two dots The aim of (he game is to win the most boxes whilst skilfully minimising (he number of boxes given away to (he computer.
PRICE £6.95
• HEXAPAWN For strategic and persistent play The opponent (computer) has no initial strategy but is programmed to learn from the user s wins to improve its own strategy
PRICE £5.95
• CHOPPER LAND You r chopper I e chartered to transfer
goods from your base and lard SAFELY An exciting new game full of surprises
PRICE £7*99
Send Cheques PO: A.R. SOFTWARE 86 Avonbrae Crescent Hamilton, Scotland Tel: 0698 282036
DEALER ENQUIRIES WELCOME
1 Voucher
*kh*T 2 or 3 Rom th* n*xt two iUMt Of Personal Computer Newt aim when
NIGHTMARE PARK DOTS a BOXES rn CHOP¬ PER LAND you will 9*i HEXAPAWN compMoty
PCS FEBRUARY 11 JM4
Hardware
Top Twenty up to £1,000
|
TW |
LW |
MANUFACTURER |
PH ICE 1 |
DISTRIBUTOR |
|
► 1 |
m |
Spectrum |
£99 |
(Sll |
|
► 2 |
121 |
CBM 64 |
£220 |
(CO) |
|
A3 |
141 |
Sinclair 2X81 |
£45 |
(Sll |
|
14 |
(31 |
BBC B |
£399 |
(ACI |
|
► 5 |
,15) |
Vic 20 |
£140 |
(COI |
|
A 6 |
(81 |
Atari 600XL |
f ’ BO |
(AT) |
|
▼ 7 ! |
161 |
Oric 1 |
£99 |
(OR) |
|
AS |
(91 |
Lynx 48 96 |
£225 |
(CA) |
|
▼ 9 |
(71 |
Dragon 32 |
£170 |
(DD) |
|
A 10 |
(12) |
Tl 9 94 A |
£90 |
(Tl) |
|
▼ 11 |
(10) |
Sharp MZ700 |
£240 |
(SHI |
|
A 1 2 |
(13) |
Atari 800 |
£300 |
(AT) |
|
▼ 13 1 |
nil |
Apple ME |
£750 |
(AP) |
|
A 14 |
(151 |
Sharp MZ80A |
£349 |
(SH) |
|
A 1 5 |
(16) |
Aquarius |
£70 |
(MAI |
|
▼ 16 |
(14) |
Colour Genie |
£168 |
(LO) |
|
A17 |
(18) |
Epson HX2Q |
£472 |
(EP) |
|
A 18 |
(-1 |
Electron |
£199 |
(ACI |
|
► 19 |
(191 |
CGLM5 |
£150 |
(SO) |
|
▼ 20 |
(171 |
Tandy Colour |
£180 |
(TA) |
These charts are compiled from both independent and multiple sources across the nation. They reflect what's happening in high streets up to the end of January. The games chart is updated every week
Neither mail order nor deposit-only orders are included in these listings. The prices quoted are for the no-frills models and include V A T. Information for the top-selling micros is culled from retailers and dealers throughout the country and is updated every month.
PCN Charts are compiled exclusively for us by RAM C,
Top Ten over £1 .000
|
TW |
LW |
MANUFACTURER |
PRICE |
DISTRIBUTOR ' |
|
1 |
(2) |
IBM PC |
£2,390 |
(IBM) |
|
2 |
(1) |
ACT Sirius |
£2,525 |
(ACT) |
|
3 |
(6) |
Apricot |
£1.719 |
(ACT) |
|
4 |
(4) |
Commodore 8000 series |
£1,200 |
ICO) |
|
5 |
(4) |
Apple III |
£2,780 |
(AP) |
|
6 |
(7) |
Kay pro |
£1,949 |
(CKC) |
|
7 |
(10) |
Televideo TS-80Q series |
£1,495 |
(MD) |
|
8 |
(5) |
HP 86 A |
£1,570 |
(HP) |
|
9 |
(9) |
DEC Rainbow |
£2,714 |
(DEC) |
|
10 |
(8) |
Epson QX10 |
£1,995 |
(EP) |
Distributors: AC Acorn ACT ACT Sirius AP Apple AT Atari BW Brainwave CA Cam paters CKC CKC Computers CO Commodore DP Dragon Data DEC Digital Equipment EP Epson HP Hewlett- Packard IBM IBM LO Lowe Electronics MA Mattel MD Midtectron OR Oric SH Sharp 51 Sinclair SO Sord TA Tandy Tl Te*as Instruments
Machines: SP Sinclair Spectrum AC Acorn BBC 64 Commodore 64 V20 Commodore Vic 20 81 Sinclair ZX8 1 DB Dragon OR Oric AT Atari
Games TopTh
irty
|
1 |
GAME TITLE |
PUBLISHER |
MACHINE COMPATIBLE |
PRICE |
|||||||||
|
A1 HD |
Manic Miner |
Software projects |
SP 1 AC |
64 |
V20 |
fll |
, DR |
OR |
AT |
OTHERS |
£7.95 |
||
|
* |
★ |
||||||||||||
|
12 11) |
Atic Atac |
Ultimate |
* |
£5.50 |
|||||||||
|
A 3 (14| |
Alchemist |
Imagine |
* |
£5.50 |
|||||||||
|
A 4 (8) |
Chequered Flag |
Psion |
* |
£6,95- |
|||||||||
|
▼ 5 (41 |
3D Ant Attack |
Quick silva |
: * |
£6.95 |
|||||||||
|
A 6 (12) |
Death Chase |
Micromeqa |
* |
£6.95 |
|||||||||
|
A 7 (IS) |
Hunchback |
Ocean |
Hr |
★ |
£6.90 |
||||||||
|
A 8 ) |
Stonkers |
Imagine |
* |
£5.50 |
|||||||||
|
A 9 (161 |
Flight |
Psion |
* |
£7,95 |
|||||||||
|
A 10 1211 |
Jet Pac |
Ultimate |
* |
★ |
£5,50 |
||||||||
|
A 11 (18) |
Arcadia |
Imagine |
★ |
* |
★ |
£5.50 |
|||||||
|
▼ 12(2) |
Lunar Jetman |
Ultimate |
* |
£5.50 |
|||||||||
|
► 13 (13) |
Mr Wimpy |
Ocean |
it |
* |
£5,90 |
||||||||
|
A 14H |
Harrier Attack |
Martech Durrell |
it |
* |
£5.95 |
||||||||
|
A 151—1 |
Horace Goes Skiing |
Psion |
+ |
it |
£6.95 |
||||||||
|
▼ 16(6) |
Valhalla |
Legend |
+ |
£14.95 |
|||||||||
|
A 17(29) |
Hovver Bovver |
Llamasoft |
it |
£7.50 |
|||||||||
|
▼ 18 17) |
Kong |
Ocean |
♦ |
£5.90 |
|||||||||
|
A 19 (— ) |
Wheelie |
Micro sphere |
£5.95 |
||||||||||
|
A 20 (— ) |
Gridrurtner |
Llamasoft |
* |
+ |
* |
£595 |
|||||||
|
A 21 l-l |
Hungry Horace |
Psion |
* |
+ |
* |
£5.95 |
|||||||
|
A 22 1— ) |
Doomsday Castle |
Fantasy |
■+ |
£6.50 |
|||||||||
|
A 23 (— ) |
Fighter Pilot |
Digital |
* |
£7,95 |
|||||||||
|
j ▼ 24 (10) |
Hobbit |
Melbourne |
* i |
it |
* |
★ |
£14.95 |
||||||
|
A 25 ) |
Rev. of Mutant Camels |
Llamasoft |
★ |
£5,95 |
|||||||||
|
A 26 (— ) |
Kick-Off! |
Bubblebus |
* |
* |
£6.99 |
||||||||
|
▼ 27 (31 |
Pyramid |
Fantasy |
★ |
£5,50 |
|||||||||
|
A 28 (—1 |
Birds and the Bees |
Bug- Byte |
* |
+ |
£5.95 |
||||||||
|
▼ 29(19) |
Pe net rate r |
Melbourne |
* |
£6.95 |
|||||||||
|
A 30 (— ) |
Dragrunner |
Cablesoft |
★ |
£6.00 |
PCS FEBRUARY II IWU
When you add up micro equals ours.
You won't find another micro offering a range of benefits that add up like the Olivetti M20's. There's a choice of seven M2Q's ranging from a personal computer through to a highly intelligent workstation that can take you into a multi-user network.
+
A wider choice of software.
WeVe designed a range of software program s that includes genera! accounting, word processing, financial planning, spreadsheets and graphics. But if you find you need special ised software that is not available from us, the M20 offers a choice of four main operating systems (MS- DOS, CFVM-86, PCOS and UCSD-P*), So it can handle literally hundreds of different software programs to satisfy virtually every business or professional application.
+
True 16 bit technology for speed and efficiency.
Unlike some of its major competitors, the M20 is a true 16 bit personal computer. So it's more powerful than most micros.
+
Choice of 16 printers.
As the world's leading producers of electronictype- writers, we also lead in computer printing technology. We make no less than 16 printers compatible with the M20
+
The M20 can talk to other office machines.
With its own built-in communications facilities the M20 can talk to other office machines such as typewriters, making them intelligent word processors and printers. And linked to a telephone and communications equip¬ ment it can access Prestel, mainframe computers, receive or send telex messages and even Autodial, So the M20 can take you further into office automation.
+
The M20 can handle new networking developments.
The M20 allows you to build a multi-user network incorporating a massive central memory for extensive fie storage with fully integrated software for electronic mail and text and data processing. Building a network like this with any other company would normally mean having to buy components from separate manufacturers. Olivetti supply everything from a single in-house source.
We are pioneers in computer technology.
Our total investment in R&D is one of the largest in the world and is comm itted to advancing computer tech¬ nology for the businessman. We developed the first true 16 bit personal computer for under £2000 and are the leaders in ergonomic design of computers,
+
The depth of service you’d expect from a multi-national company.
Our distributors are the best trained in Europe, Before they are allowed to so much as look at an M20 they are put through a comprehensive course at our very own school. And our force of 600 service engineers cover the entire country to give fast and efficient service.
+
Proven reliability in a computer marathon.
The M2Q is one of the most reliable micro computers in the world. In fact, in a recent computer marathon, not one but two Olivetti M20 micro computers ran non¬ stop day and night, for a full week without even a single hiccup.
+
Experience that helped us become the leading European manufacturer.
for 75 years we have been helping all sizes of business become more efficient No other company has this understanding of the businessman's needs combined with over 30 years experience in computer technology. Olivetti is now the largest European manufacturer of computer and office equipment So we will always be around whenever you need us, unlike a lot of computer manufacturers who won’t even be in business in a few years time.
+
At £1,795 it doesn’t just add up to a better computer, It adds up to complete office productivity.
The Olivetti M20 is available now from only £1,795 or £9.88 per week to lease (plus VAT). And unlike most micros, it comes complete with free manuals and a one year guarantee. For more information on how to take your business into complete office productivity, com¬ plete the coupon.
the facts, no other
The H20 CQ, just one of the M20 range. Dual disc drive, high density disc storage and colour graphics
To; Valerie Better, British Olivetti, Olivetti House, 86-88 Upper Richmond Road, Putney, London SW15 2UR, I Tel : 01 * 7 85 6 6 6 6 . PI ease se n d m e broc h u res o n the M 20 personal com p uter pcn ***
I NAME.
) POSITION _ _
COMPANY _
ADDRESS _
_TEL NO.
oliuetti
It’s lonelvat tlielop
TULIP SYSTEMT
^Send me details of dealership TULIP SYSTEM® I by return. I company B name | position I town I postcode
<E>
Compudata marke ts one of the most powerful and fastest micro computers in the world.
This is due to the application of an 808b microprocessor and an H087 arithmetic co-processor The Fourth generation is nowr a fact; not only is speed important, but also the ergonomic requirements satisfied. The ease with which the TULIP SYSTEM®! can be operated is unparalleled, partly due to the vast keyboard with its 104 keys. What is more, TULIP SYSTEM® 1 can be used with many types of available softw are.
Internal memory capacity is 128 k minimum extensible to 89b k. floppy disk units are 8(M) kb formatted. A 350 Kb unit is also available for low' cost applications, for high speed and high capacity requirements, hard disk units, using Winchester techno¬ logy, are available in capacities of 5 and 10 Mb.
The 8 standard character sets ensure maximum flexibility. The colors and the high resolution graphics make the TULIP 5YrST£M®I unique. Contact your dealer, he can tell you aJl about it, or write Compudata.
■ TU UP SYSTEM 1 I
k » d
Computer • Processor HOWl>, HOW" lopl) • Clock H Mhz • RAM L2&-006 Kb • Sena! l/o: RS232 • Parallel I/o: Cen iron icscump. * Interfaces; Hud disk. lape, llghipen • H. disk controller: H inch + .V i inch * Hull nil Ke>buaid: HH keys StomgC • I1n|j|»v disk: Dual i irit h, t5 Mb# Hard disk - fi Ned i Mb, 1 0 M b [>i*p lay • format* :HOn iX 14 *11, 40 * 2,5 * res. graphica 100 x I MI* High res graphics; 7H<i*2ttK (opt) • Odour: HI * Internal, char, sets: H soflw. selertable
45 blackpool road Ansdell Lytham St. Annes Lancashire, Or direct to: Compu¬ data bv Hambakenwetering 2 5231 DC VHertogenbosch The Netherlands Tlx: j ,5031b cdata NL Tel: +31 73 422045
Manic Miner caves in
Yes, yet another letter about Manic Miner hut ( E am glad to say) off the subject of gaining lives.
I have a way of getting into any cavern from any cavern, without breaking into the program When it has loaded press Enter as inst ructed hut instead of proceeding through the caverns press m the keys 6031 769, There will be nochange in the game apart from where the lives are displayed a hoot should appear. Then pres* these key's fall at once I, to get to:
Cavern l press 6 Cavern 2 press 61 Cavern 3 press 62 Cavern 4 press 621 Cavern 5 press 63 Cavern 6 press 631 Cavern 7 press 632 Cavern 8 press 632)
Cavern 9 press 64 Cavern 111 press 64 1 Cavern 1 1 press 642 Cavern 12 press 6421 Cavern 1 3 press 643 C ave rn 1 4 press 643 1 Cavern 15 press 6432 Cavern 1 6 press 6432 1 Cavern 17 press 65 Cavern 1 8 press 651 Cavern 19 press 652 Cavern 20 press 652 1
| At this rate could you call Manic Miner a good, exciting, hard game? Matthew Dur ranee.
Cambetity* Surrey.
This may be passible, but how many people want to turn this exciting game into sheer tedium? More a i bore-wave than a brainwave j perhaps? — Ed.
Pirates widen their horizons
1 ihoughl you might like to hear about an interest ing side -effect to this software piracy business, We have found, in the shop where I work, lhal display cassette bones with their primed inlay cards and instructions arc mysteriously leav¬ ing their shelves. To me this suggests that young people f hut is it just the young ones?) are recording their mates" games onto a short computer tape . and l hen finding l he appropriate inlay cards and instruc¬ tions on display in a local store la give their pirate copy a finishing touch — honestly, it’s just not software piracy.
[ l does ge l a nnoyin g w he n we e nd up with cassettes and no boxes. When a customer wants to buy a game we can't offer the box Of the instructions, just the tape!
It would be in le resting to know if other "user-friendly micro-dealers' around the country have the same bug,
/ Adams.
Littlehampton, W Sussex.
Don't carry a LOAD on your shoulders, unburden yourself on PC Ns letters page.
All about Acorn’s Teletext Adaptor
1 was inlc rested to read Piers Letcher's review of the Acorn Teletext Adapter (Issue 44) I did not have much trouble tuning it inas the tuners were not far off their correct positions to start with, but the trick is to go slowly ur you can tune through a station before the adaptor responds to it.
A useful feature is that the TFS ROM detects whether the adaptor is switched on before allocating its workspace. If the adaptor is on, page. is set at A 2 41 Ml instead of & pjtm (with DFS), Ibis is impor¬ tant since there may he difficulty in running some programs at the higher value, and many Telesoft¬ ware programs relocate themselves to &EUU (so save them first}.
The manual is well -produced hut some features have not been documented The copy key will display the full current page nunv her at the bottom of the screen . and OS commands can he entered hy typing the asterisk instead of f5, fn Telesofi mode the commands* iion and *HOfi can be used to turn the header line display on and off. This appears on line 1 (you have to be in screen mode 7). but it will move il you cause the screen to scroll.
PCN £10 Star Letter
1 cannot go a long with the implied recomme ndat ion i n i he m a nual t hal the II I 1 Rt >M o titled m the right hand ROM socket since (at you cannot use the auto-start facility ( sh i ft/b rk a k ), (b) you must cxplic- ity select another filing system before running other programs am, (c) if you press mu \k during a
program the computer will revert to TFS. My preferred arrangement (it not using a ROM expansion board t is: MOS - TFS - DFS * other - Basic .
I would point out that it is often not possible to type in programs directly off a Teletext TV screen, even if you do have a great deal ot patience. This is because some programs have non-printahle data embedded in REM statements.
The problem with subtitles and newsflashes is unfortunate but the circuitry to do this would lunher increase the cost of the unit. A cheap monochrome monitor is the answer here, though at the recent BBC Micro User Show one exhibi¬ tor was demonstrating a synchro¬ niser and video mixer which would do thejoh. It can be used for putting titles on home video recordings or for superimposing data ,
Finally, there is a slight snag with the method of saving screens de¬ scribed in Routine Inquiries , Sav ing the screen area of memory does not save the contents of the CRT Controller's registers. Therefore it w ill noi restore correctly if you have changed mode or allowed the screen to scroll a fter sav in g i t In t his situation you must executive the mode statement again before *t oAoing the screen Richard Porter.
Croydon * Surrey.
Piers tells me not all programs from Teletext can be typed in. hut the point he h os making k<j_< that he didn't feel the extra cost war justified by the accessibility of the few programs you couldn't otherwise get — Ed.
Getting BBC screens taped easily
In your answer to Jonathan Loose (Routine Inquiries, Issue 44) on saving BBC screens to tape, you suggest reloading a sctcco from tape with
• LOAD NAME 3000
Provided your screen mode is the
same as the saved screen then • LOAD NAME
will du the job, on its own.
W outer Kolkman,
Drift, Holland.
Rabbits eggs — yes, we’re only human
T enclose photostat copies of pages 88 and 10 of Issue 46. As a compositor I can sympathise, and imagine the deluge of letters and caustic comments
It’s far the unexpected <L 2 Vic 20. so probably isn't a* V \ complex, as you'd like, but it \ 7 docs do quite a lot considering #
7 the memory it uses. \
E used to purchase oi her compu¬ ter magazines hut. having played the field, now confine myself to the best in spite of the odd misprint or typographical error. After all. it's the content that counts, and that's where PCS scores every time. And again, as PAL2IKML (on the very same page), has it we're 'only human' and il does us good to sec that others can also drop the odd clanger sometimes.
C tV'wAfrtJon.
Manchester.
I mu g ft-' We could hare cried.* Thanks to all readers who wrote these unexpected fetters .kn minty of you spotted this that we think it unfair to a ward £5 for one chosen for publication. Hut next time we re looking for a proof-reader . . . Ed.
Sinclair Spectrum price guarantee
Further to Martin Smith's letter (Issue 45) . . . my 16K Spectrum cost £125 in March ’83. A few weeks later the price dropped to £99. Like ot hers caught i n t he same sit uat ion , 1 wasn't very happy.
As Mr Smith says, 1 will he entitled la a cash refund if the computer packs up white si ill under guarantee.
If this happens, it w ill he interest¬ ing to see the response from the shop when 1 avk fora refund of £125, buy a brand newf |6K Spectrum, complete with a year's guarantee, for £99, and walk out with £26 clutched in my sweaty little hand.
t ome to think of it. the keyboard has been acting up a hit lately . Now where did I put that guarantee . , John Link.
Cardiff. Wales,
Share your thoughts in the UK's liveliest micro weekly letters columns. Funny, feisty or fanciful, your letter could win you £10 if it's of star status.
WHITE TO: Random Access, Perxrmaf Computer A> n»r, VNU, Evelyn House.62 Oxford Street , London W 1 A
211 G
PCN FEBRUARY I I IW
Lost in a maze ofbits and bytes, trapped in a forest of errors, bugged by Basic? Whatever the problem* CALL on us. Our panel of experts is at your command.
Write tor Routine Inquiries,
Personal Computer News,
V N U . Eve I yn I louse . 62 Oxford Street, London Wl A 2HG.
An assemblage of Newbrain peripherals
Q1 One of the problems with the New hrain is that it's difTkull to yet in format ion rm hardware and software for it. Could you give advice on what disk drive and other peripheral devices are good value for the machine? In particular* I'm interested in uhtaining a good assembler — can you help?
Allan Lewnes,
Telford * Shropshire.
A The Newbrain has RS232 interfaces, so the main diffi¬ culty wiih printers is choosing from the many available. CJE Microcomputers (09062 74998) offers a Star DPK480 upgraded to produce high-resolution graphics. The company in¬ cludes a listing for a Newbrain screen dump and can supply a Newbrain type printer cable.
Tradecom, the Newbrain's new owner, is busy fulfilling existing orders at present, so most of the Newbrain add-ons aren't readily available. When they do arrive the Newbrain expansion box is a must, if you can afford it. Apart from offer¬ ing 64K extra HAM it offers an internal printer buffer, en¬ hanced graphics, several inter¬ faces and lots of room for mu triple screens.
There are hints of other features in the ones we've seen, but they're still difficult to pin down.
Disk controllers are available now and Angela Enterprises <□438 H 1 2439 ) intends to offer a disk drive w hich w ill be cheaper than the official Newbrain one. The ZEN assembler from Kuma (11682 71778) is worth loo k in g a t , We h ave n 1 1 ested it , bul it's a well established pro¬ duct and has also been im¬ plemented on a number of other Z8U machines.
Speaking of add-ons for the Spectrum
Q inn interested in buying a to slick interface for my .Spectrum, Sume makes have tn load a tape before you can use them. Is this the same with the Downs wav version? {Monitor,
issue 35 1 Alsu, could you tell me tr the Currah speech sy nlhesiscr will he compatible with mam games tapes?
Andrew Clothier *
Co Durham ,
A The Downsway programm¬ able joystick interface is a completely free-standing unit, needing no additional software either to program or run, Dow ns way assures us that all you need do is attach the unit to the back of your Spectrum, a joystick to vour unit, and away you go.
Currah ’s Microspeech sys¬ tem has. in the company's own words, ‘charmed its way into the hearts of Britain's software houses? (hut would you let it in with 1 hut accent?) Since its launch a good deal of high quality software has appeared offering full compatibility with the speech unit. In addition to the companies mentioned in our review (issue 34) Digital Fantasia, Ultimate, Quicksilva and Incentive all offer titles.
Oric graph-plotting utility formula
Ql am writing a graph- plot - lifi|> utility for the Oric- 1 and have discovered how lo FOKE an input formula into a OKI FN AlXl line in the program.
My problem is that after the formula is luhhd in, the Oric replies with a syntax error report when l try to evaluate the formula using FWi X>.
Perhaps I have to poke a carriage return or something into the end or the line. Can vou help?
Andrew Chard ,
Cranleigh, Surrey
A Self-modifying code eh?
The syntax error report provides a clue .
Prosit ma bly . you ' re i n pi ti ng a string, then poki ing the ASCII code of each character into the addresses which con¬ tain the dek kn statement.
What you ought to do is to poke the tokens for the key words like DBF and FN into these addresses — rather than the ASCII series beginning 68,69,7!) (ASCII code for the letters D, E, and F).
The way to do this is fairly straightforward. Set up a line towards the beginning of the program (after any CLEAR statements) which reads Like
this:
2fl DEFFNR (X)-'* ;
You must I cave a fair number of spaces between the REM (apostrophe) and the semi¬ colon. This space is for the function definition to be poke d in later. Don't put a space between def and e\.
Now add a short routine which peeks memory from about 1 281.) onwards ( this is the start address of a Basic prog¬ ram), Looking for the number 1 84 follo w e d by a 1% . Th esc a re the tokens for DEF and FN. Now look for a 2 1 2, this is rhe token for The next address should contain a 39 — the REM. This is the address at w hich you will start POKEtng the jnfi IT formula.
This might look something like this:
50 for I = 1 280 to 1316 60 if pffk(I) — 184 AND PEEK(I+1) = 196 AND
pef,k(I+6) = 212 THEN
?’ ‘START ADDRESS K)H
FORMULA is", 1 + 7: F-N|> 70 NEXT
You will have to ‘parse- the formula . checking for whatever needs tokenmng. For example, the multiply sign (*) has the value 206,
When you have converted the INPUT formula to tokens and numbers, you can poke them into RAM. starting from the address you found after the — sign. At the end you should also poke 39 as a REM,
It may be that you have to put the dummy def fn statement towards the end of a program and ensure that section of code is actually interpreted hy the Basic interpreter before this will work. It all depends how the Oric handles function def- ■ ini t ions.
You might consider buying Bob Maunder s excellent "The Oric Companion' w hich details exactly how programs are laid out in RAM.
A Brother for your Spectrum
Qtan the Brother F P-22 type¬ writer printer be used wilh
the .Spectrum 4SK? If to, w hat connections are mini red to make it work?
H Mackenzie,
Braham , Devon.
A Yes* there should be no bask problem with this, and as the Brother RS232 interface
is of a standard format, you should be able to get a Spectrum to work with all Brothers.
How you do it really depends on the interface you buy. If you want lo use Microd nves. put yourself on the Sinclair waiting list for Interface 1. Otherwise, you may prefer an RS232 interface such as the Cobra, but considering the extra features of Interface 1 , you'd probably be better off paying the bit extra.
You then need a cable to connect the two. I be RS232 socket on Interface L isa slightly non-standard 9- pin job, and requests for this tend to pro¬ voke shakes of the head from your average micro shop assis¬ tant. But never fear, Sinclair produces a cable that should work between a Brother and Interface l .possibly subject to a slight re wi ring job to ensure the DTR connection on Interface 1 is taken to the RTS connection on the Brother.
Processing
power
Ql would like mask about (he 65UII2 microprocessor. The documentation claims to im¬ prove a micro using a 6502 processor eit on the BBC micro. Would you please inform me how it could he advantageous.
B Tailor,
Hackney London.
A At first sight this seems to he a good improvement on the original 6502. It has added instructions and consumes a lot less power, A disadvantage is that it may not run at ihe same clock rate as the standard 6502. although the documentation does say it is 'compatible in every respect'.
One of the su bile r mel hods of software protection used with many processors is to use un¬ documented instructions that the processor can understand but most disassemblers don't to perform odd tricks. These com¬ mands do fairly useless things such as set odd bits of the various registers. For instance the STZ. store zero (&9C) works on most 6M)2s even though it is not generally documented. This sort of thing could cause problems when using an upgraded instruction set such as that on the 650)2. The only thing to do is to try it and see.
14
Pt N FEBRUARY II IW4
OMnfWPW L4
Deane House 27 Greenwood Rare London NWS INN Tel 01 485 5S74 Telex 264209
MICROWAVES
Scaled a new PEEK in microcomputing? If printed your lip will earn you a fiver.
If you’ve got something til crow about . * . a hit cif magic that*! make the world a better place for micro users, then send it to PCS Microwaves — our regular readers* hints and tips page. Well pas you £5 if we print ■! Well pay y ou even more if your little gem gels our vole as microwave of the month . t hink on , . . and write to Micro- waves, PCY, 62 Oxford Street, London W1A2HG.
Hints on PEEKing and POKEing the Vic-20
I have found the following routines verv useful on mv Vic-2<k
print pi-.fk(hd) will give the number of characters in a files name.
print ptTiKfiHft) will give the number of open files. print will give the
current colour: it w ill always be one less than on the keyboard. pokf, rtf 7 , 1 2« will disable switch¬ ing cases.
poke rtf 7,o will enable switching cases.
If you have the super expan¬ der you may like in try the following.
svs wjtfo disables the function
key definitions.
svs 5K 2*2 disables extra com¬ mands.
To turn the super expander i nto a te mporary 3 K R A M pac k type:
SYS *4*50
pokemi ,o;poke642,4: k>ke6o,o:pokem4i3o;
FOKLA4M , V>;s YSTJK34
Nicky Sioan.
Workington „ Cumbria
Moving and saving Spectrum SCREENS
I am writing to suggest another use for the routine (in Micro- waves, issue 47) to relocate the Spectrum screen. 1 have written a similar routine to overcome the problem of not being able to verify a picture. It seems that the Spectrum regards the sc rlmnS in load and save as equivalent to code i*.uu,wi2. Therefore the facility to load code in a diff¬ erent section in memory from wfhere it was saved becomes available.
The procedure is as follows:
a) Copy the screen memory to anot he r ( pro tected ) me mo ry urea with the routine given in issue 41. Alternatively use any program or Basic routine as speed is not important here.
b) Save that pan of memory using save "name" coop; strt add r 6912.
Locking your listing on the Commodore
A sneaky way to stop people and call the subroutine with listing your program is to include the following sub¬ routine in your program. Not only does it disable the listing, it will produce a message whenever you try to list.
To use simply set MS to contain the required message
GOSUBIOO.
To return the listing to normal, use the following two poke5:foketm,2*: POKE77$,167.
David Gristwaod,
Sunder tan if Tvtte an d Wea r
10 REM DEMO
20 M*= - SCROOFS IN SPACE fCU984N 30 GOSUB lOOt LIST! END 40 REM
lOO REM DISABLE THE LIST 110 M$=CHR*' 137) +CHR*( 137) +
CHR* t 157 )
120 FOR T*I TO LENlM*)
130 POKE 847+T9ASC(MlD*tM*,T, 1> )
140 NEXT T
150 POKE S47+T,0
160 FOR T=82S TO 037: READ A: POKE T( A t NEXT
170 DATA 169,S01160>3,32f30p17if 76,116, 164
180 POKE 774, 601 POKE 773,3 190 RETURN
c) Verify using verify “name "code
If the routine wasn't properly verified, repeat steps b) and c) until it is verified. Now that the picture is safely stored ii can be easily loaded using load "name" screen!.
Because of the tope screen! equivalence it is just like loading a piece of code into an area other than where it came from originally.
Another possible use of the above technique is loading pic¬ tures into memory other than the screen, thul have been saved using screen!. The routine in issue 47 can then be used to transfer the picture to the screen instantly.
These tips should help all those who fear, like I used to, that their masterpieces will he reduced to an R Tape loading error'.
Harry Sohmoglmt. Thes-Uthmika, Greece
The keys to Memotech functions
The Memotech MTX micros have function keys which, apparently, do nothing except return ASCII values from with¬ in programs. However, these ASCII values also happen to be tokens for certain Basic keywords. Thus, when typed during the course of entering a Basic program, they can simu¬ late single key keyword entry. Note that the keywrord will appear only once the return key has been pressed.
FI — REM
F2 — CLS
F3 - ASSEM
F4 — AUTO F5 — BAUD F6 — vs F7 — FONT F8 — USER Mark Cytera „ Mangotsfield, Bristol
F9 — crvs
FIO — CLEAR FI 1 — CLOCK
F 12 — AtTR F13 — colour F14 — INK FI 5 — csr FI 6 — DATA
Lynx joystick starts doodling
Here is a useful tip for Lynx owners who have a joystick. In the ROM there is an un-documented function joystck* which takes one argument The following routine allows this command to be used from inside a Basic program. It also gives an effective demonstration of ii in use. If the argument is 0 the left joystick port is read, 1 reads the right port. The code tine can be relocated any¬ where in a program, as long as the ppokf is altered, and can also he pul in using the monitor. Once the dpoke and poke have been implemented t hese I i nes can be de leted . The
values given by the routine are as follows:
UP* 25-1 UP+ RICH IT = 24ft
DOWN — 25.1
DOWN + RIGHT— 24*
LEFT* 25 1 U P + L EFT* 250 RIGHT=247 DOWN F LEFT* 249 FIRE *223
To work out the value given when the joystick is moved and the fire button is pressed , use this formula:
223 — (255-direction value).
In the demonstration prog¬ ram, use the joystick to move the press down the fire button to leave a trace. Thomas Griffiths,
Teddinglon, Middx
lOO CODE CD 97 34 7D FE Ol 28 06 DB FA 6F C3 C4 34 DB FB 6F C3 C4 34
110 DPOKE k627A,LCTNf 100)
120 POKE 6*6279 , fctC3 130 CLS
140 LET A*D , B*0
130 PRINT 860, 124f |
160 REPEAT
170 LET L-JOYSTK(O)
180 LET A-A+3* t (L=247 OR L«21S>- IL-231 OR L=219) ) , B=B+iO# f<L*233 OR L*221) - fL*254 OR ( L*222 ) )
190 PRINT 060+A, 124+Bl 1 200 IF L >223 THEN PRINT 860 + A,
1 24+ B I * * 5
210 INK RANDC7J+1 220 UNTIL FALSE
If!
FIN FEBRUARY 11 IW
iy-clViCFAtUitUl
I
&>ulLa*ita+ 1 S'pect^U4fi,ryOC~2.0 & GBM-64-.
The galaxy's most battle wagon.
ISfarzon Hea (seekers from the back, LasaSlamma Tanks in front HeliChargas from above.
A friendly mission to Zon has become a desperate fifth! for survival.
Now, as Troopa Truck trundles and leaps across Zon's surface, only one person in the galaxy can save it.
You.
The ticket to Zon is £5.99 ( RRP inc VAT ), and the journey starts at Boots, WH Smith, Rumbelows, or any intergaladic computer games shop.
Your Commodore 64 will love it to bits.
PCN PRO-TEST I
Dragon's shrinking disks
Dragon owners have the option of 3 inch disk storage — Brian Cadge looks at Sony's new drives.
i ^ ■*> *, •/'.Vi ***t**KK*******t***l*l*l\*l*lA "
Sony 3in disk drives will soon be available from Premier Microsystems for the Dragon 32 64 among other machines, and this adoption of the Sony OA-D33V system by Premier reflects the growing (rend towards the new 3 in techno¬ logy in favour of the older 5in.
We Pro-Tested a dual disk drive w iih the Delta disk interface and Toolkit, all linked up to a Dragon.
First impressions
The drive units measure only 4 in by 2in by 5m — a lot smaller than conventional 5in drives and internally much more compact.
The two units were supplied in a plastic housing, also containing the power supply for both drives, but Premier promises that the final production models will be in a metal unit. However, the review easing was nothing to he ashamed of,
t he Sony system has many advantages over a 5 in drive. One is that the disks themselves are housed in rigid plastic, and a special dust cov er is only pulled back tv) reveal the disk surface once correctly inserted into the drive . These disks are a bit pricey at t52 for a box of ten. but they will take a Ik it mo re bus h I n g t ban t he ca rd casi ng of a 5in disk , The dr i ves are casie r t o use fo r someone with little com puling knowledge: the disks cannot he inserted wrongly and there are no hatches to close — thev
operate very much like a car cassette player.
The Della interface for the Dragon is not restricted to these drives, in fact it can operate with any drives having a 5'/dn bus interface. All of the electronics and the DOS are included in an elongated car¬ tridge which plugs into the Dragon's ex pa nsion port . A 1 1 ache d t o t his is a r i hhon cable which plugs straight into the disk drive.
Setting up
Setting up the system was a piece of cake. All that was needed was to attach the ribbon cable to the cartridge and turn on, since a mains plug was already fitted.
Documentation
The documentation supplied came in iwai parts: an 80-page manual entitled ’Using Floppy Disks with the Dragon’, which explained how to set up and use the Delta interface . and an A-l ring binder containing the Toolkit manual. Toolkit is an opt Kina I EPROM which can be fitted in the Delta cartridge, adding about Ml new commands and functions to the Basic,
Documentation is perhaps one of the most important parts of any system and usually the worst prepared. Thankfully, this is not the ease hers*. Both manuals arc excellent, clear and concise , Every com¬
mand is explained with many examples There is even a telephone number to ring if you have any problems, The style and presentation of this literature certainly puts Dragon Data's own to shame — especially compared to Dragon's intro¬ duction to Dragondos\
’Using Floppy Disks with the Dragon’ was obviously written for 5in drives, hut w ith production models there w ill either be a completely new manual or an additional booklet explaining the few differences between 3m and 5in. Premier s own software will also be available on 3i n disks.
In use
Th ree d isk s w e re su ppl ied . on c de monst ra¬ tion and two blanks. On power up the disk in drive A boots up automatically after pressing any key. Sometimes it's a bit of a bind to always have this function, but it does give the advantage of autostart programs. The demo programs supplied were somewhat disappointing, to say the least, and the only useful feature was the program which gave the syntax and brief explanation of any command entered.
The Delta interface can be configured to most disk drives, and up to four can be chained together. These can all he of different types — it is quite possible to have a Sin and a 3in on the same daisy chain. As for the Delta DOS. which is contained tin
la
PCN FEBRUARY 1 1 IVH4
un Kk EPROM, it contains all one would expect from a mini DOS. The usual saving and loading of Basic and machine code are available, as well as merging and chaining of programs. The file handling was very easy to master, and up to eight serial or random access files can be used at once.
Two useful commands are immli and build. Boor allows one command to be executed when a disk is first selected. As this can be the command to run a program . it can be used to produce autostart disks. Build allows the saving of direct com¬ mands on a disk rather than programs. When you access a built file the commands are obeyed as if they had been typed from the keyboard.
The error messages generated by Delta are all in plain English and not in the two let ter codes used by the rest of Basic. This is a vast improvement over the Dragon Data DOS which sticks to the code system.
The main use for a disk drive must be file handling, and as 1 said earlier Delta's fde commands are very good. For the most part they don't involve learning new commands, for example the statements input# and print# are used to read and write to disk files, as with cassette files.
The work area for Delta is the top 1 .KK of memory which expands when necessary for file buffers. Unfortunately, using clear with Delta running causes the system to crash. Since it is quite simple to prevent the clear command working on t his memory . th is feat u re sh ou Id hav e bee n included. Another idiosyncrasy that I didn't much care for was that Delta does not token ise its new commands. This means that, whereas on the Dragon Data DOS the backup command uses one program byte, the same command on Delta is stored as the six ASCII bytes.
Included in the Dragon Data DOS are a number of Basic extensions not related to the disks at all — for example automatic I i n e n u mberi ng a n d e rror t rappi ng . Delta \ new commands relate to the disk drive only However, for an extra £30 you can have the Toolkit lprom included with Delta which adds practically every com¬ mand to Basic you can think of.
There isn't space here to cover every one of the Wl new commands in detail, so let's look at the most useful. There is the ability for automatic line numbering using the auto command, full error trapping and (unlike the Dragon Data system) the ability to resume after an error where the error occurred. You can also disable the »rl ak key using 'break off*. There is a suite of cassette commands to catalogue a tape or merge programs together etc. This may not seem very' useful for the disk owner, but as Toolkit is also available separately on cartridge they are worthy of inclusion.
The goto and amun commands have been extended to allow the use of variables such as ooto(X + Y-3) There is also a much improved trace facility which prints the line number in the corner of the screen without destroying your display . which the built in tron function does. By pressing t he sh i ft ke y you can a Iso va rv the speed of a traced program. There are a number of utilities to use on the low resolution
PCN PRO-TEST |
fcnammma
graphics screen (Toolkit has not one but 24 text screens) and options to alter printer output to page output and produce page headings
The keys A-H can be defined as one or more commands. For example, typing proga"list"+chrJ( l>) would list the program every time shift-A was pressed, The t krS( i 1 1 simulates the i-ntl r key and if left out you get a form of single keystroke command entry.
One of the best features of Toolkit is its full screen editor and program editing commands. The editor is a joy to use and a great improvement on the Microsoft line editor. It allows a new line to he made up of bits of several different lines, a feature the Microsoft editor does not al!owr.
The Sony drives themselves operated very well, and ah hough not as fast as some 5in drives access times are about on par. Each disk can hold 0.5 Mb unformatted and 3riKK formatted with 811 tracks. This is the same us an KtMrack 5in drive.
Verdict
The Delta interface is the only one that is available separately for l he Dragon — Dragon Data doesn't sell it without a disk drive . There are pros and cons to both systems. Delta has more disk controlling commands, but lacks the extra Basic functions that Dragondos has. However.
for the extra Oh he Toolkit adds just about every command you're ever likely to want and the only thing it lacks is some sound enhancement commands. Toolkit is worth buying separately on cartridge even if you're not interested in disks.
Why should you go for 3tn drives at all? For one t h i n g i hey are m ore rt >busl t ha n 5 in drives, and the disks are much better. Not only harder to break . but easier to use for beginners too, 3in drives match Sin performance, and in the near future w ill be cheaper too. In May Sony plans to release the dual headed version of the drive reviewed here, and this will give you twice the storage again, giving even better value for money since it will only be 25 per cent more expensive than the single -headed version.
The Tin drives can connect with many computers, given the right cables, and for this reason will also be sold as separate units. They should be available within two or three months.
Product Sony 3, Sin disk drive. Delta interface and Toolkit Manufacturer Sort} (drive) and Premier (Delta and Toolkit j Distributor Premier Microsystem* Lid. 20fl Croydon Road. London 5E20 7YX„ 01499 7 1 31 Priea* Basic drive (expected price! £212,75, two or more drive* (expected price) £2U5.KS each. Delta Interface £12(1, Toolkit £29 95, Box of ten disks £51 .75 All prices include VAT. The system reviewed (Dual drives + Interface + leads) is expected to retail at under £5tki
VAWAAVWV
>>>>#>**** #V# M *1
► # > * * * ********
# # > v ******* *
********* * * * ******
#>>*> * * **********
w.w.w.v.v
•Xsv.sv.v.nv syy.w^>.'V>.^VV
. , . v.vwwwwwow
W kWYnW % % VVV \ s v \ \ t * 4 ^ v S S S S S S S S S S S VV '
• ^ A, % S vs % s sjsjs
fit V vs \ vs s s s \ \ vs S % VS s % s s s
V S A VS A % A S % S 4S4\SSSSSS* \ A VS vs V V S V %
% % s S V S S V s s •, SVVSSSSSS' ..VS CVS VS V s S' \ S S S s S S A A A
' v a a a a v v A A s cvvys s y vs s
.SSSSS^SVS
.avvavaaass
\ s s VS \ S %\ S
.A* v v s AAA s * 4w V VAVVVA
V V V V V s V V V A.
A A A A V v A V V s
kAAAAVSSS* a\ A\ AA AA a [h A A V A A A VO ' V V S V WAS S s A A A V A A A A ‘AS VA V s s A ^ I V v V V V VA v WVAAAAV A V V V V V A
VV VA VA VA
VvvvvVV mWui
Wm
w
VVAAAA
dual unit fw can *» th* Son? driv** above — small is dasi/trfuf On th« toft >« th* d*vk* that g.fr*t your Dragon icem to all this di*h shortage; th* Doha intartac*. This model contains Toolkit, which it also ataUaMo a* i mwitt cartridf*.
iv
PCN FEBRUARY 11 IW4
PCN PRO-TEST
MMIORSHI HEAP
Colour monitors that cost the same or less than colour TVs? David Janda can t believe his eyes.
Only a few years ago. the idea of the Average micro user buying a monitor f ne ver m ind a col o u r o ne ) , w as a rare occurrence- The reason? They were so expensive that only a privileged few could afford them.
But with more and more micros, peripherals and software about, dealers have a tough lime trying to compete with each other for our business, and one of the results is cheaper goods for you and me.
Monitors are no exception and one company. Opus Supplies of Camberwell Road. SE London, is offering a deal on a range of colour monitors that you can't refuse.
For i 1 49.95 and 029,95 1 hoi h excluding VAT), Opus can supply you with the ECM-1302 IX medium resolution and the ECM- 1 MO 2X high resolution KC »B colour monitors, respectively. The monitors are made for Technohome by the Victor Company of Japan (JVC to you and me I. and Opus can offer the monitors at such a low price because it has managed to acquire the sole distribution rights.
Features
The IX and 2X are similar in design with a Min screen and two controls on the front panel : on; off and brightness. The monitors are housed in eases t hat are bight beige . and enormous. The weight isn't too bad. and they do have a hand grip on the top so they can he carried short distances.
Two types of connector are provided at the back of the monitors: a seven pin Din connector, and a 15 pin connector which will allow Apple 3s to he used. Also at the back are the necessary controls to adjust the vertical and horizon- tal hold as wrell as vertical height . T o access these you need a thin hladed screwdriver, which you then poke between a few ventilation slots to make the necessary adjustments. Although the ventilation slots are shorter and wider than the rest, it would have been better if these controls were in the form of knobs; poking around the back of a monitor with a screwdriver is not my idea of fun.
Installation
Two hits of documentation are provided; first there is a small printed manual, and second a couple of photocopied sheets. Comparing the manuals revealed that they were identical in all respects except the serial number of the monitors. Opus assures me that t he documentation is being corrected. In the meantime, the photo¬ copied sheets contain the necessary in¬ formation to get you going.
Connecting the monitor to your micro may not he as easy as you think. No leads were supplied with cither monitor
2(1
reviewed, so you w ill have to buy some or make up your own. Either way, have both the connection details of your micro and the monitor handy. This is because not all micros w ith RG B output are negative sync. BBC owners are lucky because they have a link in the machine that will allow for positive or negative sync. If your micro has a seven -pin DIN connector and it is negative sync, then you will probably have to get a lead made up.
In use
[ n use t he mon i tors are si m ply g re at . 1 f you haven't used a colour monitor before, then you are in for a surprise. Imagine . no more wavy lines gliding across the screen, or ‘colour clash' w henever lines or shapes are draw n at an angle. Instead you get a sharp, clear picture.
The IX (medium resolution) gave excellent results on the BBC. and it was possible to read dearly text in MODE 0 . The graphics are noticably clearer with sharper definition around the edges of shapes and soon.
The same comments apply to the 2X high resolution model, hut I stress the points about definition- For the extra
EKII you get another 2 1 II pixels on the horizontal, thus giving more detail in this area. Because there is more resolution on the horizontal, circles tended to have slightly jagged edges.
My one complaint about 2X is that w hite text on black looked a little ‘dirty' and no amount of fiddling could cure this. Other than that all was fine.
Verdict
There is no douht that the ECM range of colour monitors is excellent value for money. Performance wise 1 had very little trouble at all. No overheating was experi¬ enced because of the ample ventilation, and there was no loss in quality of picture after long periods.
The main question is: which model? You will have to answer that yourself, but remember that as more and more resolu¬ tion is available with new micros, the need for a better display will he that much greater.
It*fn 1302-1 and 1302-2 Colour Monitors Man uf jeturw JVC ftk* 1 1 49.95 and £229 95. respect i vely (exd , VAT ) Distributor £ >pu & Supplies, L58 Camberwell Road. London SE? OEE .01-701 KWH Qutttft Opus
|
Monitor |
1302-1 Medium Resolution |
1 1302-2 High Resolution |
|
resolution CRT V 1 l>EO BAND WIDTH DISPLAY SLOT PITCH INPUT VIDEO SYNC |
J70 X 470 PIXEl-S 14 Lisch fiMItf Ml CHARACTERS BY 35 LINES 0.63am RGB ANALOGUE TTL INPUT SEPARATE SYNC ON RGB POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE |
5*ti * *70 PIXELS Hindi ItiMH/ Ml CHARACTERS BY IS LINES QAJbijb RGB ANALOGUE TTL INPUT SEPARATE SYNC ON R( P5J5ITI VE OR NEGATIVE |
MICROFAST M1CR0FASTMICR0FASTM1CR0FASTMICR0FASTMICR0FASTMICR0FAST
ARE YOU FED UP . , * of dealing with the local computer dealer vacuum repair shop video library
9
with no equipment — ‘ waiting for delivery Guv, ‘ :
ARE YOU TIRED . . . of talking to wally Hi-Fi shop assistants full of little more than hot air?
. . , THEN CONTACT micro FA S 7rhe Experts — computer
profess ion a is in the home computer marketplace
— no bull, no lies, just BBC micros and the most appropriate peripherals and add ons, in stock NOW at hard -to- beat prices
— we stock all your BBC computing needs, and our fully qualified staff are always available to assist you,
MAIL ORDER — FREE, NEXT DAY delivery to your door PERSONAL CALLERS welcome — FREEBIES for cash & carry sales
|
Examples of our prices:— |
Price including VAT |
Freebies for cash |
|
elc, — no extras |
& carry sales |
|
|
Acorn Products |
£ |
|
|
BBC model B complete |
399 |
2 cassette games of your choice |
|
Disk interface kit |
97 |
free fitting |
|
Speech upgrade |
54 |
free filling |
|
Teletext adaptor |
225 |
free fitting |
|
Monitors: {Ignore the manufacturer s resolution specifications, either it will cope with ALL MODES, or it will cope With modes 1 -7 |
||
|
with reduced clarity in mode 0) Monochrome: |
||
|
Sanyo 12" DM21 1 2 Green Phosphor (modes 1*7) — Good all round monitor |
88 |
|
|
1 game wilh every |
||
|
Sanyo 1 2 DM81 12 Green Phosphor (all modes) — |
120 |
Monochrome monitor, |
|
Recommended Colour: |
||
|
Fidelity CM 14 (modes 1 7) — Highly recommended |
215 |
|
|
Microvitec 1 431 (modes 1-7) The BBC monitor |
247 |
2 games with every |
|
Microvitec 1451 (all modes) — Better resolution than the |
373 |
Colour monitor |
|
BBC micro itsetf |
||
|
ALL MONITORS INCLUDE BBC CABLE |
||
|
Printers: Daisywheel : |
||
|
JUKI 61 00 — the quality printer for quality output — |
391 |
|
|
Recommended |
||
|
Silver Reed Exp 500 — Price conscious alternative Matrix: |
345 |
|
|
1 000 sheets |
||
|
Seikosha 60— Budget priced approved BBC primer |
IBS |
of listing |
|
Seikosha 100 — The standard approved BBC printer |
224 |
paper with |
|
Recommended |
every printer |
|
|
Epson RX8G — General purpose micro printer |
305 |
sold |
Epson RX80 F T — Excellent all-round performer Epson FX80 — The Rolls-Royce ol BBC printers KDC FT-5001 — NEW Compatible with RX80 F T —
Recommended
PLUS:
Disk -drives (including FREE disks )p huge range of software, paper, cables, double density disk interfaces, floppies, cassette drives, joysticks, and much more —
ALL YOU NEED
micro
MON TO SAT 9 TO 6
57 HOXTON SQUARE. LONOON N1 01-729 1778
YOU CAN’T DO BETTER THAN TO CONSULT THE EXPERTS
MICROFAST MICROFASTMICROFASTMICROFASTMICROFASTMICROFASTMICROFAST
PCN FEBRUARY IH IWU
s?taicabr
presents
SflUPIGE PCTO
ATARI’
COMMODORE
64’
A truly remarkable depiction of life cycles in a freshwater environment. A semi-educational pro¬ gramme with high resolution graphics, crammed with thrills, spills and excitement, featuring:
Amoeba (Rhizopoda); Hydra (Chlorohydra Viridissima); Dragonfly (Erythromma Najus); Bloodworm (Phylum Platyheminthes); Jellyfish (Craspedacusta Sowerbeii); Beetle Larva (Macroplea Leachi); Spider (Argyronata Aquatica); Water Fleas (Scapholeberis Mucronata); Bumble- Bee (Bombas Lapidarius); and our special guest star
THE COMMON FROG
(Rana Temporaria)
Awesome ... in its conception Brilliant ... in its depiction Dynamic ... in its execution
“Savage Pond is a real joy. A totally unique concept, well thought out and superbly programmed. Whilst a far cry from the usual arcade action it retains all of the excitement. It is an ideal family game and children and adults alike will marvel at the graphics and storyline . . . you will not find such an original and compelling game anywhere else. Buy it and sit back knowing that one of the most original games ever programmed was written here in Britain." — PAGE 6 — an Atari Users Magazine.
DISTRIBUTED BY
CENTRESOFT P.C.S. LIGHTNING CALLISTO TIGER
(021-520 7591) (0254-691-211) (01-969 5255) (021-643 5102) (051-420 8888)
IF IN
DIFFICULTY RING OUR
SUPERFAST CREDIT CARD SALES LINE:
ASK YOUR LOCAL DEALER OR
POST THIS COUPON
051-487 0808 (24 hours)
STARCADE SOFTWARE, 2 Elworthy Avenue, L26 7AA. j
Please rush me . . copies of SAVAGE POND suitable i
for Atari/Commodore 64 (Dl SC/CASSETTE J. J
Please debit by Access Card ( 0elelg 05 necessary ) ,
as* i i i i i i i i i i i i ) i i n i
I enclose Cheque/P.O. for £L ......... . .
Name . . i
i
Address . J
i
....... >
-j
READOUT
Suffering from keyboard finger? Take a break with a book.
The Complete Sinclair Database1 by Stephen Adams, Ian Beantunore and John Gilbert, published by Big Brother Publishing [19841 at £6.95, {paperback, 199 pages]
A complete Sinclair database? Listing all software and hard¬ ware you can buy for the ZX8I and Spectrum? It's an excel lent idea, but it’s one of those notions that are easier to have lhan to put into practice.
The Complete Sinclair Data- base kicks off with a fairly extensive list of games and serious software. It would be unreasonable to expect such a list to be comprehensive, but
the comments after each listing tend to be very short, and the w a y t he I i st i ngs a re prese nt ed — two per page, mostly — wastes a great deal of space. This means the book covers a lot less software than you'll find, listed in many magazines.
The hardware section is con¬ siderably more useful, and makes a fair stab at telling you about the whole range of pcripehrals available for the Spectrum and ZXWl. But again it falls down on presentation. The tables look as if they have been produced with a bent felt tip and a typewriter with no margins, and although the in¬ formation's all there, it's some¬ times difficult to work out w hat you’re reading, and what the bits actually do.
Having dealt with this, the book dties so meth i ng I reck o n is really bizarre. It launches into a history of Sinclair {both Sir Clive and Research), with re¬ ference to competing com¬ panies and to — Stephen Adams? Seminal in writing the hook, perhaps, but 1 feel mod¬ esty really should have pre¬ vailed.
So it's a hook that is worth having, and it's nearly worth buying. It's the sort of thing that should really he updated reg¬ ularly, and if the authors tidy n up while they're doing this, h will be a must for every Sinclair owner. IL
'Getting Started with the Texas H-99/4A’ by Stephen Shaw, published by Phoenix at £5.95 (paperback, 150 pages I
Stephen Shaw describes this as a supplement to the standard TI documentation. In fact it con¬ tains a wealth of useful hints and
explanations of some of the machine's peculiarities.
The book covers three major areas, t( deals w ith TI products, detailing hardware, a full range of pe riphe rais a nd soft w' a re , M r Shaw also gives his guide to the Basic language, both TI Basic and r.xtended Basic, following the logical order of the TI manual, And he includes prac¬ tical advice covering program¬ ming tips. maintenance, machine code and additional hardware,
Mr Shaw’s style is standard manualese — short, straight to the poim , easy to read and easy to understand. The information is presented in a logical manner with new areas covered as they become relevant. Some sec- t ions su ffe r fro m lack of i Dust ra¬ tion.
The main glossary and the index are too small to prove really useful and certain sec¬ tions of the text appear more than once. The unusually large print enhances readability, but with only 150 pages £5.95 may seem a little costly for the amount of information in¬ cluded, IT
Ataris and Software
Now is your chance to get in on one of PC Vs biggest competitions with prizes worth more than £1 ,25d.
We’re giving away six Atari 600XL computers, three cartridge -based Atariwriier w^ord processors, and a collection of Atarisoft Donkey Kong games to run on the Atari computers, the Commodore 64. the Vic-20 or the TI 9W4A. All you have to do to get in on these prizes is answer a few1 simple questions about Atari and its machines.
You had the first questions for this Atari Micropaedia competition last w eek ( they are repeated below' along with this week's questions) and next week — in Issue 49 — we'll give you the last two of the six questions that vou must answer correctly to have a chance to w in . together with a competition entry form. Fill out that form and send it into PCN with .
to be Won
your answers.
The First six correct entries drawn will win a micro, the next three will win Atariwmersandthe I ast Fi vewi 11 geuheir choice of Donkey Kong games for different micros.
1) What was Atari's First successful videogame? . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2) Howr much RAM memory comes standard with the new Atari 8CH1XL computer? . . . . . . .
3) Which Atari computer has TWO slots for cart ridge software? . . . . , . .
4) Which large American corporation owns Atari? ................... . . . . . . . . . .
13
PCN FEBRUARY II 14*4
Y7T
LORDS OF TIME
Joins our range of acclaimed pure-text puzzle adventures, at C9.90, for:
BBC 32k COMMODORE 64 SPECTRUM «K LYNX 48K NASCOM izk ORIC 4BK ATARI 32K
if
5
n
3
3
3
§
3
3
3
3
3
ADVENTURE REVIEWS
Adventures which have a fast response time, are spectacular in the amount of detail and number of locations, and are available to cassette owners , . I am extremely impressed The Level 9 Adventures are superbly designed and programmed, the contents first rate The implementa¬ tion of Colossal Cave (Adventure) is nothing short of brilliant; rush out and buy it. W hi le y o u re at it, buy their others too Simply smashing!’
•SOFT. Sept 83 "I found Dungeon exceedingly well planned and written, with a fast response There are well over 200 locations and the descriptions are both lengthy and interesting The objects number about TOO It could therefore take some months to explore the whole network, giving many hours of enjoyment in the process "
- C4 VG, Sept 83 “The descriptions are so good that few players could foil to be ensnared by the realism of the mythical worlds where they are the hero o r heroi ne gr ea t fun to play
-Which Micro?. Aug 83
My appetite has been whetted and l mtend to get my own copy (of Snowball} to play
- What Micro?, Dec S3
MIDDLE E ARTH ADVENTURES
1: COLOSSAL ADVENTURE
A complete, full size version ot the classic mainframe game Adventure” with 70 bonus locations added
2: ADVENTURE QUEST
Centuries have passed since the time of Colossal Adventure and evil armies have invaded The Land The way is long and dangerous, but with cunning you car overcome ail obstacles on the way 1o the Black Tower source of their demonic power, and destroy it 3: DUNGEON ADVENTURE
The trilogy is completed by thrs superb adventure set m the Dungeons beneath the shattered Black Tower A sense of humour is essential1
THE FIRST SILICON DREAM ADVENTURE
1: SNOWBALL
The first of Pete Austin s second Inlogy The giant colony starship. Snowball1 9 has been sabotaged and is heading for the sun in this massive game with 7000 locations
ADVENTURE
REVIEWS
"This has to be the bargain of the year ff adventures are your game then this (Colossal Adventure) is your adventure "
- HOW! 5 Sepf 53
‘Colossal Adventure is simply superb Anyone who wishes to use adventures in an educational setting realty must use and see this program as it emulates Crowther and Wood s masterpiece so well For those who wish to move onto another adventure of simitar high quality,
Dungeon Adventure is to be recommended With more than 200 locations. 700 messages and 100 objects it will lease and delight!’
- f ducdiionai Computing, Nov 03
Colossal Adventure is included in Practical Computing s Top 10 games choice Poetic, moving and tough as hell H
- PC Dec S3 To sum up. Adventure Quest is a wonderful program, fast, exciting and challenging If you like adventures then this one is for you''
- NILUG 13 “Colossal Adventure For once here s a program that lives up to its name a masterful feat Thoroughly recommended - Computer Choice. Dec 83
“wholly admirable'
- Your Computer, Sept 83
THE LORDS OF TIME SAGA
7: LORDS OF TIME
Our congratulations to Sue Gazzard for her super design for this new time travel adventure through the ages of world history Chill to the ice-age go romm with Caeser s legions shed light on the Dark Ages etc etc We II be selling this game mail order from January 1 st
Price: £9.90 each (inclusive)
Level 9 adventures are available from good computer shops or mail order from us at no extra charge Please send order or $AE for catalogue, to
LEVEL 9 COMPUTING
Dept R* 229 Hyghenden Road. High Wycombe Bucks FCN
Please describe your Computer
ir
3
3
3
5
U
ir
3
3
3
5
Jr
3
3
3
3
I
0
31
a
SIDEWAYS PRINTING
Elizabeth Wald's ingenious program sidesteps the Epson HX-2U s internal microprinter*
Slipping sideways
he internal microprinter nn the Epson HX-20 is a useful device for listing prograninund printing results. Bui it is limited to a maximum of 24 characters per line* which means that program listings arc difficult 10 read and wide program print¬ out is impossible.
Thc sideways printing program given in f igure I creates the ‘sideways printer . which has the device name SFT0:' when used in Basic. This uses the microprinter to print out blocks of Jh lines of HU characters sideways down the paper. A cutting line’ is printed either side of the text, so that blocks of text may he cut up and pasted together.
The sidew ays printer is used in Basic by extending the interpreter to include sub¬ routines which control it, Other items, for example disks or a har-o>de reader, could also he added in the same way. The collection of subroutines required to control a particular device is known as a device driver,
This actually contains a table known as the device control block. This specifies the addresses of the control subroutines, the device name, and other essential informa¬ tion. The driver is linked to the interpreter via a secon d t a hie co nt a ini ng l he addresses of all the device control blocks. This second table has space for lb entries of which seven are already defined.
To add any device driver to Basic it is loaded into the lowest end of memory, below MEMSET* and a small loader routine is executed. This loader routine mov es all Basie programs and application files down, and copies the device driver into the resulting space at the top end of memory.
Application files are machine code programs permanently linked to the sys¬ tem and are normally linked to the menu. The loader routine then updates various system pointers to protect the driver from being overwritten by Basic* and finally executes a Basie warm start into program area 1, The computer is now in the same state as if Basic had been entered directly from the menu.
When Basic centered via a warm start it executes an initialisation routine for each linked device in turn. This is contained within the driver* and ensures that the dev ice is m a r ke d as be in g cl osedl * and is a Iso responsible for producing a new LOGIN’ message. If the sideways printer cannot be initialised, for example it the user attempts to link in more than lb devices* the normal ‘LOGIN’ message w ill be displayed.
Driver subroutines
The sideways printer driver contains subroutines to open and close SPTO:’ and to transfer a single character to the device from Basic.
Figure 1: Disassembled Machine Code listing
|
UM40 |
SE |
LOS |
#040F |
|
|
aw 3 |
78 |
TIM |
*4078 |
|
|
UA46 |
2? |
BEQ |
0050 |
|
|
Dri48 |
F£ |
LDX |
8138 |
|
|
0A4B |
AD |
JS P |
X00 |
|
|
Cth40 |
71 |
AIM |
f BF78 |
|
|
bass m |
BSP |
0A52 |
||
|
0A32 |
32 |
PUL |
0 |
|
|
0051 |
33 |
PUL |
P |
|
|
0A54 |
C3 |
A00 |
D |
|
|
pa57 |
DO |
STh |
D |
$6A |
|
QA59 |
CC |
LDA |
D |
•A7A0 |
|
0A5C |
DO |
ST A |
0 |
*68 |
|
0h5E |
03 |
ADD |
0 |
*6A |
|
0A60 |
DD |
STA |
0 |
I6C |
|
0062 |
FC |
LDA |
0 |
ei2c |
|
0*65 |
DO |
STA 0 |
162 |
|
|
SA67 |
FC |
LO0 |
0 |
8134 |
|
0h60 |
DO |
STA 0 |
»60 |
|
|
006C |
SUB |
D |
*68 |
|
|
UA6E |
DD |
STA |
0 |
*64 |
|
0070 |
r |
xox |
||
|
own |
9C |
CPX |
*6C |
|
|
Oh73 |
24 |
BCC |
0A7D |
|
|
O075 |
CC |
LDA |
D |
*0685 |
|
0*78 |
BC |
JSR |
FF64 |
|
|
0076 |
20 |
BRA |
0AF9 |
|
|
0h7D |
8F |
S€I |
||
|
00 7E |
FF |
STX |
0134 |
|
|
0*81 |
FC |
LDA |
D |
0136 |
|
0084 |
93 |
SUB |
D |
*68 |
|
0086 |
FD |
STA |
0 |
0136 |
|
0088 |
80 BSP |
0B00 |
||
|
0088 |
OC |
LDA |
D |
*60 |
|
0080 |
[■[■ |
STA |
0 |
*60 |
|
008F |
DC |
LDA |
0 |
*6C |
|
0H*1 |
DO |
STA |
D |
*62 |
|
0083 |
OC |
LDA |
0 |
*64 |
|
Qm*5 |
FD |
STA |
0 |
012C |
|
AA98 |
so |
BSP |
0B00 |
|
|
0080 FE |
LDX |
0134 |
||
|
P08t> |
88 |
INX |
||
|
ID ,1 i o |
88 |
ItO< |
||
|
O09F |
88 |
IMX |
||
|
0000 |
06 |
LDA |
A |
7M |
|
0Aa2 |
81 |
CMP |
A |
#39 |
|
0AA4 |
27 |
EEC |
0AAD |
|
|
0AA6 |
EE |
LDX |
X01 |
|
|
0HAS |
09 |
D£X |
||
|
9AA9 |
0 5 |
DEX |
||
|
0AH0 |
09 |
OCX |
||
|
0008 |
20 |
epA |
0AA8 |
|
|
0AhO |
86 |
LDA |
A |
*7E |
|
OhhF |
A7 |
STh |
A |
|
|
0AB1 |
FC |
LDA |
0 |
012C |
|
0AB4 |
C3 |
ADD |
D |
#C1G03 |
|
(TAB? |
ED |
-ETA |
D |
X0! |
|
0mB9 |
CE |
LDX |
#01 3C |
|
|
uhBC |
LDA |
A |
,01 |
|
|
0A6E |
81 |
DIP |
A |
#45 |
|
OAC0 |
27 |
BEQ |
OhFI |
|
|
•W*2 |
OF |
STX |
#€E |
|
|
0MC4 |
A6 |
L£>h |
H |
xei |
|
00C>: |
EE |
L0X |
XC2 |
|
|
0hC8 |
8C |
CPX |
# FFFF |
|
|
oh«:b |
27 |
BED |
QAF1 |
|
|
0ACD |
4D |
1ST |
A |
|
|
0,-u’E |
.V |
EMI |
0004 |
|
|
0009 |
13 |
XOX |
||
|
0hO1 |
93 |
SUB |
0 |
*68 |
|
0003 |
13 |
XDX |
||
|
Out' 4 |
13 |
XDX |
||
|
0AO5 |
DE |
LDX |
I6E |
|
|
*hD7 |
ED |
STA |
0 |
X02 |
|
0AO9 |
60 |
1ST |
XQl |
|
|
OAT-e |
2A |
BPL |
OhDF |
|
badd |
03 |
ADD |
D |
*6E |
|
OhDF |
18 |
XDX |
||
|
0mE0 |
A6 |
LDA A |
>001 |
|
|
AAE2 |
81 |
CMP |
A |
*45 |
|
AmE4 |
27 |
BED |
0AF1 |
|
|
0hE6 |
40 |
TST |
A |
|
|
UAE7 |
2B |
BUI |
0AEF |
|
|
0aE9 |
EC |
LDA |
0 |
i;04 |
|
0AE6 |
93 |
SUB |
£> |
*68 |
|
9AED |
EC |
STA |
0 |
X84 |
|
0AEF |
20 |
BRA |
0AC2 |
|
|
OAF 1 |
PI |
LDX |
0134 |
|
|
OAF 4 |
FC |
LDA |
0 |
02C E |
|
OhF7 |
ED |
STA |
0 |
:,0a |
|
DAT 9 |
0E |
CL I |
||
|
OhFA |
4F |
CLR |
A |
|
|
0AFB |
FE |
LDX |
8004 |
|
|
0AFE |
6E |
JMP |
||
|
JBQ0 |
DE |
LDX |
*60 |
|
|
0BO2 |
9C |
CPX |
162 |
|
|
DB04 |
77 |
BED |
0B1 4 |
|
|
090* |
A6 |
LDA |
A |
X06 |
|
OB08 |
08 |
INX |
||
|
0B09 |
DF |
STX |
*60 |
|
|
0B6B |
DE |
LDX |
164 |
|
|
AB0C1 |
A7 |
STA |
A |
X00 |
|
QP0F |
88 |
I MIX |
||
|
OF |
STX |
*64 |
||
|
mu |
28 |
BPh |
0600 |
|
|
0B14 |
39 |
FT 3 |
||
|
DEI 5 |
01 |
NOP |
||
|
0816 |
01 |
NOP |
||
|
0B1 7 |
01 |
NOP |
||
|
0B 18 |
01 |
t*0P |
||
|
mi9 @1 |
NOP |
|||
|
m i a |
01 |
NOP |
||
|
0818 |
■1! |
NOP |
||
|
0B1C |
01 |
NOP |
||
|
08 ID |
01 |
NOP |
||
|
mi£ |
01 |
NOP |
||
|
0B IF |
01 |
NOP |
||
|
0B20 |
39 |
-4 |
||
|
0021 |
00 |
|||
|
0B22 |
00 |
|||
|
0623 |
31 |
PSH |
X |
|
|
0B 24 |
80 |
BSR |
0B26 |
|
|
0B 26 |
38 |
PUL |
X |
|
|
0B27 |
3C |
PSN |
||
|
0B 28 |
18 |
XDX |
||
|
OB 2 9 |
C3 |
ADD |
0 |
#O06A |
|
0B2C |
37 |
PSH |
B |
|
|
0020 |
3 c |
PSH |
A |
|
|
QE2E |
SI |
PUL |
X |
|
|
0B2F |
C3 |
ADD |
0 |
#0020 |
|
0B32 |
E0 |
STA |
D |
|
|
0934 |
C 3 |
ADD |
0 |
#0070 |
|
0037 |
ED |
STh |
0 |
X07 |
|
QB39 C3 |
ADD |
D |
#FFA0 |
|
|
0B3C |
ED |
STA |
0 |
xee |
|
063E |
6F |
CLR |
X13 |
|
|
0B40 |
18 |
[•' |
||
|
0041 |
»:e |
LDX |
#0665 |
|
|
0644 |
60 |
TST |
;;u0 |
|
|
0B46 |
27 |
BEG |
0B53 |
|
|
0648 |
08 |
INX |
||
|
0949 |
08 |
INX |
||
|
0B4A 80 |
CPX |
#0677 |
||
|
0B4D |
26 |
9NE |
0B44 |
|
|
0B4F |
38 |
PUL |
X |
|
|
0650 |
38 |
PIJL |
X |
|
|
0651 |
20 |
BPA |
0B5C |
|
|
9053 |
ED |
STA 0 |
y 00 |
|
|
0955 |
32 |
PUL |
A |
|
|
0B56 |
33 |
PUL |
B |
|
|
0957 |
33 |
PUL |
X |
|
|
0B58 |
C3 |
ADC' |
D |
#0036 |
|
3956 |
18 |
XDX |
||
|
0B5C |
20 |
BPa |
0920 |
|
065E l |
D8 ■ |
45 78 |
74 Ext |
|
|
@962 |
65 1 |
69 64 |
65 ends |
|
|
0B66 |
64 |
20 45 |
70 d Ef |
|
|
0B6A |
73 |
6F 69 |
20 son |
|
|
0E6E |
42 |
41 53 |
49 BASl |
|
|
0B72 |
43 |
00 0A |
77 C u |
|
|
0R76 |
69 |
74 68 |
20 itb |
|
|
QB7A 53 |
56 5 4 |
30 SPTO |
||
|
0B7E |
3A |
20 6 |
2 |
79 s bv |
|
0B82 |
20 |
45 20 |
57 E W |
|
|
0986 61 |
6C 64 |
CD aid |
||
|
0B8A |
0A |
00 2 |
2C 5tr |
|
|
0B BE |
FF |
8F 53 |
50 *SF |
|
|
QB92 |
54 |
30 20 |
00 T0 |
|
|
0B96 |
00 |
00 00 |
8C I |
|
|
0B9A |
70 |
00 00 |
8C f B |
|
|
nB9E |
70 |
30 70 |
00 |
|
|
0BA2 |
00 |
00 00 |
00 |
|
|
0996 |
58 |
t€ 46 |
86 F Ft |
|
|
0BAA |
00 |
00 00 |
00 |
|
|
09AE |
00 |
00 |
||
|
OBB0 |
86 |
LDA |
A |
068 A |
|
0BB3 |
81 |
CMP |
A |
*20 |
|
0BB5 |
BEQ |
0660 |
||
|
0BB7 |
C6 |
LDh |
9 |
#33 |
|
0BB9 |
7E |
JMP |
8433 |
|
|
ODBC |
80 |
BSR |
OC20 |
|
|
0BBE |
t.C |
TST |
X13 |
|
|
0BC0 |
29 |
BM1 |
0BC7 |
|
|
QBC2 |
62 |
DIM |
X8013 |
|
|
08C5 |
20 |
6Fm |
0019 |
|
|
86C7 |
39 |
FTS |
||
|
0BC8 |
00 |
**+ |
||
|
0BC9 |
80 |
BSP |
0BB0 |
|
|
0BCB |
32 |
PUL |
A |
|
|
0BCC |
80 |
BSP |
0C20 |
|
|
0BCE |
36 |
PSH |
A |
|
|
0BCF |
zi |
TST |
XI 3 |
|
|
06D1 |
27 |
BEQ |
0BC9 |
|
|
09D3 |
32 |
FUL |
A |
|
|
0604 |
81 |
CMP |
A |
#00 |
|
OBr-6 |
27 |
BEQ |
0009 |
|
|
0908 |
81 |
CMP |
A |
#0H |
|
0BOA |
2? |
BEQ |
0009 |
|
|
0BDC |
81 |
CMP |
A |
#26 |
|
OBOE |
25 |
ECS |
©CIO |
|
|
0BE0 |
36 |
PSH |
A |
|
|
0BE1 |
A6 |
LD« |
A |
X14 |
|
QBE 3 |
06 |
LDA |
9 |
#50 |
|
86 E 5 |
30 |
MUL |
||
|
LU |
16 |
PSH |
A |
|
|
0CE7 |
H Z |
LDA |
A |
Xl5 |
|
09E9 |
IB |
ABA |
||
|
06£A |
16 |
TAB |
||
|
09EB |
32 |
PUL |
A |
|
|
0BEC 89 |
ADC |
A |
#00 |
|
|
89EE |
30 |
PSH |
X |
|
|
06EF |
3@ |
T$X |
||
|
06F0 |
E? |
ADO |
0 |
|
|
0BF2 |
03 |
ADD |
D |
#0100 |
|
0BF5 |
37 |
PSH |
3 |
|
|
0BF6 |
36 |
PSH |
A |
|
|
06F7 |
30 |
TSX |
||
|
0BF8 |
A6 |
L0A |
A |
X04 |
|
86Fh |
EE |
LDX |
X00 |
|
|
06FC |
*7 |
STA |
A |
X09 |
|
OBFE |
33 |
PUL |
X |
|
|
OE F F |
33 |
PUL |
||
|
OCO0 |
31 |
INS |
||
|
0C01 |
60 |
INC |
XI 5 |
|
|
0t&3 |
£6 |
LDA |
& |
X15 |
|
OC05 |
Cl |
CMP |
8 |
#50 |
|
0007 |
26 |
BNE |
0C ID |
|
|
0CG9 |
6F |
CLR |
X15 |
|
|
mm |
81 |
crip |
A |
#QD |
|
0C0D |
BEQ |
0C1O |
29 ►
PCS KI R K I \R\ II IMK4
25
“ Leaves the Atari, Dra
and Lynx
Choosing a home computer is a bit like playing a video game. The more you play, the better you get. So you'd expect people who spend their working life choosing computers to be pretty good at the game. Quick to shoot down a fault. Pleased when they find an improvement.
Recently Which Micro? and What Micro? tested the Spectravideo SV 318. Here's what they had to say:
"Every home computer coming on the market tends to be hailed as revolutionary. For once this really has to be true with the Spectravideo SV 318."
“The first cheap, high performance computer..."
"Double precision numbers ... are ideal for companies with turnovers under £999,999,999,999.99."
SpeciravKleo SV 318: Memory - 32K ROM expendable to 96K, 32K RAM expandable to 144K: Keyboard - calculator type, 71 Keys, lOfunctionk eys, builfm joy stick/cursor control Graphics - 16 colours, 256x192 high resolution graphics, 32 spates Sound -3 channels, 8 octaves perchonnel CP/M- compatibility - over3000existingsoftworepockooes Storage - cassettedrrve,256Kdiscdrivecapocity: Suggested retail price - £186
Spectravideo SV 328: Memory - 48K ROM expandable to 96K, 80K RAM expandable to 144K: Keyboard - full word processor type, 87 keys, 10 function keys, built in cursor control: Graphics - 16 colours, 256 x 192 high resolution graphics, 32 sprites Sound - 3 channels, 8 octaves per channel CP/M" compatibility - over 3000 existing software packages: Storage - cassette drive, 256K disc dove capacity Suggested retail price - £262
if
A full range of peripherals are also available
gon, Commodore 64 for dead.”
Which Micro? Dec 83. **
"... a far better job with its keyboard than anybody else using soft keys."
"... most people will notice how easy it is to produce graphics with the Basic."
“This is a BBC class machine."
"As a computer for the enthusiast it is well nigh perfect."
"A good micro for tomorrow."
Obviously they had more to say. And we think you should have a look at the reports for yourself to prove that we haven't exaggerated their independent opinions.
Fill in the coupon today and we'll mail you the reports as well as a full technical specification brochure in colour of this amazing new personal computer or see the Spectravideo for yourself at most leading computer stockists.
SV-318 SV-328
PERSONAL COMPUTERS
r
To Spectravideo Ltd, 165 Garth Road Worden Surrey $M4 4LM
I am interested m Spectravideo computers and peripherals Please send me the latest reports together wrtfi a tell technical specification brochure
Nome _ Address
Spectravideo Ltd, 165 Gortti Road. Morden. Surrey SM4 4LM Telephone 01-3300101 Telex 28704 MMH VANG
Tel No
STD Code
pc e*
COSMIC DEBRIS^
ROAD RACERS .A.
ARTIC COMPUTING LTD
Mam Street. Brandesbudon, Driffield Y025 8RL
To: Artie Computing Lid. Mam Slreel Brandesburton Drif field YQ25 &RL
Cheques and PO s payable to Arlic Computing Ltd. Dealer enquiries welcome Please stale whether your order is for Zx&i , Spectrum. ViC or QRtC Access ar>d Barela ycard welcome.
WARNING' These programs are sold according to ARTIC COMPUTING LTD s terms of trade and conditions ol sale. Copras of which are available on request
Asteroids. plummeting through the galaxy, miss your spaceship by lnllJsmel:^es, Clean up or gel blasted1 ’ And took out for unidentified alien nasties commg at you from nowhere1 48K Spectrum £4.95 ORIC 1 40K £5.95
ALPHA-PROBE ^
Explore strange new planets, practice delicate landing manoeuvres. Collett desperately needed fuel or abandon your fateful mission 16K ZX81 £3 95 16K/4&K Spectrum £4.95
DIMENSION
DESTRUCTORS
An armada of 3 dimensional Star Destroyers hurtle across your screen to destroy you Swerve and fire to survive their attempts to blast you Iron the skys Only the most shilled pilot will team the terrible secret of ihis assault The ultimate 3-D
Please supply
'Cheque tor total amount enclosed £
Address
SNAKE ▲
Among the flies and bugs your pet snake hungrily devours are a crop of poisonous mushrooms Can you stop him eating them before rt’s too late7 Mind he doesn't do himself in with his venomous bite1 16K/40K Spectrum 14.95 VIC-20 £5.95
space war game Spectrum 48 K ZX £5.95
I FROG CHASE
Your pet frog has fo make it safely across a road tithed with speeding traffic Then swim a river infested with vicious snapping turtles Can you take him home- without disaster? VIC-20 £5.15 Joystick option
MILUMQN
Miiiimon. the nasty grub, and J his band of creepy friends are coming for you Only your laser base can save you nowh 16K/46K "
MARTIANS Jk.
Wave upon wave of Martian attack ships threaten your survival Only your inter -galactic marksmanship can save you You must hit the nuclear power- packs at the heart of the Martian ships before they overrun the Universe VIC-20 £5 95
You are speeding over an unknown race track, passing checkpoint Hags to pick up valuable points But watch out’ There are other cars on the track and your fuel is running low1
16K/4SK Spectrum £4 95
SCRAM 20^
Your aim is to destroy the enemy base Your high-speed ship has 100 gallons ol fuel which can only be topped up by hitting enemy fuel dumps. Beware the deadly anti-intruder missiles Watch out lor the Zends. Super zoids Clamps and UFOs Full machine code VIC 20 £5 95 Joystick option
" Access Bhcjfc i aycartJ No
■ Please delete or complete as applicable
Send S.A.E. (On. * 6in.) for FREE catalogue ol our wide range ol programs _
SIDEWAYS PRINTING
4 25
The sideways printer requires a 16x8U byte buffer to contain the ASCII codes for one block of text. The buffer is filled when characters are sent to SPT0:' front Baste,
The subroutine which opens 'SPT0:* fi Us the 1 6 x 80 eha r act e r buffe r w i t h spaces and the device is marked as being open . A horizontal 'cutting line' is then printed, 'SPT0:‘ is closed by a subroutine wrhich prints any characters remaining in the buffer and then marks the device as being closed.
The subroutine which transfers a charac¬ ter to 'SPT0:‘ places the ASCII code for the character in the buffer. When the buffer contains 16 lines of data, the contents of the buffer are printed out followed by a cutting line. The buffer is then filled with spaces ready for the next block of text.
To print the lext block, the sideways printer routine extracts one column of characters at a time from the buffer and converts this to the equivalent 16X6 byte block of dot patterns. This dot information represents six lines of dots on the printer, and these are printed out using a routine in the Epson operating system.
Machine code routines
A listing of the machine code is provided in Figure L The program is totally relocat¬ able, but for convenience is listed from location &H0A40 onwards, It is impor¬ tant to remember that when the driver loader routine is executed the machine code is copied to the top end of memory, and thus the addresses given will not be the correct ones. The device driver loader functions as follows:
0A40-0A7B ( hecks that space exists to link in extended Basic. If space exists then the program bran¬ ches to 0A7D, otherwise it generates a beep and branches to 0AF9 to return lo Basic. 0A7D-GA98 t 'opies all Basic programs and application hies down and copies extended Basic into the space created at the lop of memory .
0A9A-OAB7 ] nitialises the 'IMP* instruc¬ tion to link the extended Basic into the interpreter (warm start hook),
0AB30AEF 1 Jpdates the menu entries for the application files,
OAFl-OAf 7 Resets MEMSET to the value before the Basic loader prog¬ rams was run,
0AF94AFE Jumps to Basic warm start routine.
0BQ0-OB14 Block move subroutine.
The device driver functions as follows: 0B2O-0B22 Warm start hook used to link in further extended Basics.
0B23 OB5C Device driver initialisation. 6BB0-0BC7 Opens the device,
0BC9 0C1O Transfers one byte from Basie to the device.
0C2O-0C28 Calculates the address of the device control block. 0C2C-0C3C Closes the device.
BC4B-OCS0 Fills the character buffer with spaces.
PCN FEBRUARY II IVM
Figure 1 (continued]
0C9F SC INC XH ©Oil E6 LDA 6 KH 0C13 Cl CMP 6 ttie ©C15 25 BCS ©CID 0C17 SD BSR 0C7C 0C19 8D GSR ©C58 00 IB 8D GSR 0040 0C1D 39 RTS 00 IE 00 ***
0C1F 00 ***
0C20 8B BSR ©022
0C22 38 PUL X
0C23 18 XDX
0C24 83 SUB D #0092
0027 18 XDX
6C28 39 RTS
©C29 00 ***
©C2A ©0 ***
0C2B 00 ***
0C2C 8D BSR 0C20 0C2E 60 TST X13 0C30 27 BED 0C3C DC32 SF CLP X13 0C34 SD TST X14 0C36 26 SHE 0C17 ©C38 6D TST X15 0030 26 BNE ©Cl 7 0C3C 39 RTS 0C3D 00 ***
00 3E 0© ***
0C1F ©0 +**
©C40 80 BSR 0020 0C42 6F CLR XI 4 3044 6F CLR X15 0C46 18 XDX 0C47 C3 APB 0 #©ID© ©C4A 18 XDX 0C4B CC LDA D #0500 0C4E 36 PSH A 0C4F 86 LDA 0 #20 0C51 07 ST A A X00 ©C53 08 INK 0C54 32 PUL A ©C55 ©3 SUB D *0001 0C58 26 BNE 00 4 E QC3A 39 RTS 0C5B 3C PSH X ©CSC 37 PSH B 0C3D 36 PSH A 0C5E 86 LDA A #85 0C6© 8D BSP ©C6D 0C62 B D 3 SR FF94 ©C65 86 LDA A #2© ©C67 80 BSR 0C6D 8C69 32 PUL A 0C6A 33 PUL B 0C6B 33 PUL X 0C6C 39 RTS 0C6D C6 LDA B #18 ©C6F F£ LDX FFD2 0C72 08 I NX 0C73 3C PSH X ©C74 A 7 ST A A X00 0C76 ©8 I NX ©C77 5A DEC G 0078 26 BNE ©C74 00 7 A
|
0C7B |
39 |
RTS |
||
|
0070 |
8D |
bsr |
©020 |
|
|
00 7E |
l 3 |
XDX |
||
|
0C7F |
C3 |
ADD |
D |
#01D0 |
|
0082 |
DD |
STA |
D |
*6E |
|
0084 |
03 |
ADD |
D |
#050© |
|
0C87 |
DD |
STA |
D |
#6C |
|
0C89 |
5P |
CLR |
a |
|
|
0C3A |
7? |
PSH |
a |
|
|
0C8B |
5F |
CLR |
B |
|
|
0O8C |
32 |
PUL |
A |
|
|
©CSD |
36 |
PSH |
A |
|
|
00 8E |
37 |
PSH |
e |
|
|
©C8F |
ID |
8 SR |
0CF8 |
|
|
0C91 |
DE |
LDX |
*6C |
|
|
0C93 |
3A |
A8X |
||
|
©C94 |
66 |
LDA |
A |
0190 |
|
©C97 |
A7 |
STA |
A |
00 |
|
0C99 |
B6 |
LDh |
A |
0191 |
|
0C9C |
A7 |
STA |
A |
X10 |
|
0C9E |
B6 |
LDA |
A |
©192 |
|
©cm |
A7 |
STA |
A |
X20 |
|
0CA3 |
B6 |
LDA |
A |
©193 |
|
OCAS |
H7 |
STA |
A |
X30 |
|
OCA? |
B6 |
LDA |
A |
0194 |
|
00 AB |
h7 |
STA |
A |
X40 |
|
©CA£> |
B6 |
LDA |
A |
8195 |
|
OCB© |
A7 |
STA |
A |
X50 |
|
0CB2 |
33 |
PUL |
B |
|
|
©CB3 |
5C |
INC |
B |
|
|
0CB4 |
C 1 |
CMP |
B |
#10 |
|
0CB6 |
26 |
BNE |
©C8C |
|
|
0CB8 |
5f |
CLR |
B |
|
|
8C89 |
37 |
PSH |
8 |
|
|
©CBA |
36 |
LDA |
A |
#1© |
|
0CBC |
3D |
riuL. |
||
|
8CBD |
D3 |
ADD |
D |
160 |
|
©CBF |
03 |
ADD |
D |
*©00E |
|
0CC2 |
FE |
LDX |
FFD2 |
|
|
0CC5 |
©8 |
I NX |
||
|
0CC6 |
3C |
PSH |
X |
|
|
BCC 7 |
70 |
PSH |
X |
|
|
©CC9 |
18 |
XDX |
||
|
©CCS |
8D |
BSR |
0D1B |
|
|
acts |
8D |
BSR |
©DIB |
|
|
©CCD |
©D |
BSR |
0D18 |
|
|
©CCF |
8D |
BSR |
0D18 |
|
|
0CD1 |
3D |
BSR |
0D18 |
|
|
0CD3 |
SB |
esR |
0D18 |
|
|
0CD5 |
m |
BSR |
0D1S |
|
|
0CP7 |
8D |
BSR |
©D18 |
|
|
©CDS |
38 |
PUL |
X |
|
|
©CPA |
38 |
PUL |
X |
|
|
©ODB |
BD |
JSR |
FF91 |
|
|
0CDE |
33 |
PUL |
B |
|
|
0CDF |
25 |
BCS |
0CED |
|
|
0CEL |
5C |
INC |
8 |
|
|
0CE2 |
01 |
CMP |
B |
#©6 |
|
0CE4 |
26 |
BNE |
0CB9 |
|
|
0CE6 |
37 |
PUL |
B |
|
|
0CE? |
5C |
INC |
& |
|
|
0CE8 |
01 |
CMP |
B |
#50 |
|
0CEA |
26 |
etc |
©C8A |
|
|
GCEC |
39 |
RTS |
||
|
00 ED |
C6 |
LDA |
9 |
#35 |
|
OCEF |
31 |
INS |
||
|
DC F8 |
7E |
JNP |
8433 |
|
|
0CF3 |
©0 |
+++ |
||
|
0CF4 |
0© |
|||
|
©CF5 |
©0 |
*** |
||
|
9CF6 |
00 |
* + + |
||
|
0CF7 |
0© |
*** |
||
|
0CFS |
37 |
PSH |
i |
|
|
0CF9 |
36 |
PSH |
A |
|
|
OCFA |
DE |
LDX |
#6E |
|
|
CiCFC |
3t |
PSH |
X |
|
|
0OFO |
li |
TSX |
||
|
dCFE |
A6 |
LDA |
A |
X03 |
|
CD©© |
C6 |
LbA |
e |
#5© |
|
0D02 |
3D |
MUL |
||
|
0D03 |
EB |
ADD |
% |
X02 |
|
ews |
S9 |
AOC |
A |
*08 |
|
0DO7 |
E3 |
ADD |
0 |
X00 |
|
UD09 |
IS |
XDX |
||
|
©D0A |
Hi |
LDA |
A |
X00 |
|
0D0C |
38 |
PUL |
X |
|
|
0DOD |
CE |
LDX |
#0190 |
|
|
©DIB |
BD |
JSR |
FF67 |
|
|
©D13 |
32 |
PUL |
fl |
|
|
GDI 4 |
37 |
PUL |
8 |
|
|
0D15 |
39 |
RTS |
||
|
©D16 |
a© |
* * * |
||
|
0D17 |
, , , |
|||
|
©D 18 |
3C |
PSH |
X |
|
|
0D19 |
A6 |
LDA |
A |
X©0 |
|
CD IB |
36 |
PSH |
A |
|
|
0D1C |
E6 |
LDA |
B |
X01 |
|
©DIE |
37 |
PSH |
B |
|
|
8D1F |
30 |
TSX |
||
|
0D20 |
34 |
LSR |
B |
|
|
0D21 |
54 |
LSR |
e |
|
|
©D22 |
54 |
LSR |
e |
|
|
0D23 |
EE |
LDX |
X06 |
|
|
@[ 25 |
E7 |
STA |
B |
X00 |
|
©D27 |
33 |
PUL |
B |
|
|
©D2S |
38 |
ASL |
B |
|
|
0D29 |
49 |
POL |
A |
|
|
0D2A |
59 |
POL |
B |
|
|
&D2B |
4 ■ |
R0L |
A |
|
|
©D2C |
59 |
ROL |
B |
|
|
0D2D |
E7 |
STA |
E |
X©i |
|
0D2F |
32 |
F U1 |
A |
|
|
0D30 |
A? |
STA |
A |
X02 |
|
8D32 |
8D |
BSR |
0D40 |
|
|
0D34 |
8D |
BSR |
©D4© |
|
|
0D36 |
IP |
BSR |
0D46 |
|
|
©038 |
18 |
XDX |
||
|
©039 |
3© |
TSX |
||
|
©D3A |
ED |
STA |
D |
X©4 |
|
©DSC |
38 |
PUL |
X |
|
|
©D30 |
09 |
CE ■ |
||
|
©DIE |
09 |
DEX |
||
|
©D3F |
39 |
PTS |
||
|
©04© |
E6 |
LDA |
B |
X00 |
|
©D42 |
96 |
LDA |
A |
#20 |
|
©044 |
97 |
STA |
A |
46B |
|
0046 |
4F |
CLR |
A |
|
|
0D47 |
54 |
LSP |
B |
|
|
0048 |
24 |
BCC |
0D4C |
|
|
0D4A |
9A |
ORA |
(4 |
16 B |
|
8D4C |
74 |
LSR |
0O6B |
|
|
0D4F |
24 |
BCC |
0D47 |
|
|
0031 |
A7 |
STA |
H |
X©0 |
|
©033 |
©8 |
INX |
||
|
0D34 |
39 |
PTS |
2Y
30^
SIDEWAYS PRINTING
GC5B-0C7B Fills the printer buffer with a character,
OC7C-0CF0 Prints a text block sideways down the paper.
OCF8-OD1 5 Reads a character from the text buffer and obtains the corres¬ ponding dot patterns.
0018-0054 converts 1 h bytes of dot data to the 24 bytes required by the printer subroutine.
The Basic program
To link device 'SPT0:* to Basie the
program given in Figure 2 should he
entered in any program area. Before running the program it should be saved on tape, together with any other important programs already in the computer. This is necessary in case the computer crashes as a result of typing errors. Once the program has been saved it can be run. If the MX-20 crashes it is necessary to initialise the computer using TTRL'Tn * (Section 4.2J of the Operation Manual). The device is added to Basic and a new 'LOGIN* message is displayed provided there is sufficient memory available , otherw ise the computer beeps. However* if there are
already 16 devices defined* SPT0:’ is not available until another device is released.
Demonstration program
A program is provided (Figure 3) to demonstrate sideways printing. The prog¬ ram uses the PRINT# statement, the device being opened in line UK) and closed inline 190.
To run the program enter it in any program area, turn the printer switch tin and type RUN. The printout produced is shown in Figure 4. Programs can be listed sideways using LIST ‘SPT0:\
Figure 2: Basic Loading program
106 110 120 3 30 140 150 160 170 180 190 200 210 220 230 240
REM ,4SPT0J " Initialization routine by E. J. Wald 1983 Ml >s=PEEK < &H 1 36 > : M2^=PEEK &H 1 37 ) : POKE &H2CE, Mlfel POKE &H2CF,M2*
MEMSET 256#m4i+M2'<+800 M^=236*PEEK C &H2CE > +PEEK ( &H2CF >
FOR I*=M3s TO M7.+ 799: READ AS S POKE 1%, UAL( "&FP+At> a NEXT 1*4 EXEC n*4
DATA 3E,4, AF,7B,4©,78*27,8,FE, 1*38* AD*0,71*BF* 78*8D*0*32,33,C3*8*CE DATA DD, 6A,CC,?,A0>DD, 68* D3, 6A, DD, 6C, FC , 1 , 2C*Dt>, 62* FC, 1 , 34 , DD, 60, 93, 68 DATA DD*64, 18, 9C* £C* 24, 8* CC* 6, 5, BO, FF , 64* 20, ?C*F#FF, 1*34*FC* 1,36,93 DATA 68, FD* l*36,8D*75*DC,6A*DDi60,DC*6e,DD,62,DC,64*FD* i,2C*8D*66,FE, 1 DATA 34,8,8, 8, A6,0,81 ,39, 27, 7,EE, 1, 9, 9,9, 20' F3, 86, ?E, A7,0,FC, 1 DATA 2C, C3, 0, 3, ED, 1*CE* 1,3C-A6* 1 * 81 , 45* 27* 2F* OF* 6E* A6, i * EE, 2, SC* FF DATA FF, 27, 24,40,28-4, 18,93,68, 18, 18,0E*6E, ED, 2,60* 1 , 2A, 2, D3, 6E* 18, A6 DATA 1,81, 45* 27 . B , 4D . 2B , 6 , EC . 4 , 93 , 68 , ED , 4 , 20 , D 1 , FE , 1 - 34 . FC , 2 , CE . ED DATA A* E , 4F* FE * 80* 4 * 6E * 0* DE * 68* 9C , 62 * 27 , E * A6* 0, 8* OF » 66 . BE , 64 , A? , @
250 DATA 8, OF* 64, 20, EC, 39, 1, l, 1 ,1,1,1, 1 , 1 , 1 , 1 , 1*39,0*0*38*80*0 260 DATA 38, 3C, 18, C3, 0, 6A , 37, 36 , 38, C3, 0 , 20, ED, 5, C3, 0, 7C,ED, 7? C3, FF, A0,ED 270 DATA B,6F, 13, 18* CE, 6* 65, 6D* 0* 27, B* 8* 8, 8C*6* 77* 26, F5* 38*38* 20, 9, ED 280 DATA 8, 32, 33, 38 , C3, 6, 38, 18,20, C2, 08,45,78,74, 65, 6E, 64,65,64,20, 45,70,73 290 DATA 6F, 6E, 20, 42. 4 1, 53, 49, 43, D, A, 77, 69, 74, 68, 20, 53, 50, 54, 30, 3A, 20, 62, 79 300 DATA 20, 45*20*57,61 , 6C, 64, D, A, 0* 25*2C, FF* 8F* 53, 50, 54,38, 20,0,0,0,0 310 DATA 8€ , 76 , 9, 8» 8C, 70 » 3C , 70* 8 , 0 , 0 , 0 , 8 , 56, E , 46 , 80, 0 , 8 , 6 , 0 , 0 , 0 320 DwT A B6 * 6, 8A, 8 1 , 20 , 27 , 5 , C6 , 33 , 7E - 84 - 33 , 3D , 62 , 60 , 1 3 , 2E , 5 ,62,30.13, 20 , 52 330 DATA 39 * 0 , 8D * E5 . 32 » £D , 52 , 36 , 60 , 13, 27, F6 , 32* 81 , D, 27, 3 1 , 81 , A, 27 , 2D, 8 1 . 20 340 DATA 25, 3D, 36, A6, 1 4, C6, 50 . 3D, 36, A6* 15,18, 16 , 32. 89, 8, 3C, 30, E3. 0. C3, 1 , D0 350 DATA 37,36,30, A6-4.EE, 0,A7. ©,38,38,31,6C. 15. E6, 1 5. Cl , 50, 26, 14, 6F, 15,81 360 DATA D, 27, E , 6C, 1 4, E6, 14, Cl - 10, 25, 6, SO, 63, 80* 40, 80* 23, 39, 0, 0, 3D, 0. 38 370 DATA 18,83,0,92, 18*39*0,0, 0,8D*F2*6D* 13,2?,A,6F, 13, 6D' 14, 26, OF, 60* 15 380 DATA 26*08,39,0*0,0,80, DE,6F, 14,6F, 15, 18, C3, 1,D0, 18, CC. 5, 0, 76, 86*20 390 DATA A7,0,8, 32,83,0, 1 ,26, F4, 39, 3C, 37, 36, 36,35, 8D.B, ED. FF- 94, 86,20,80 40G DATA 4,32,33,33,39.06, 18* FE*FF, 02*8* 3C , A7, 0, 8*5A, 26, FA* 38, 39* 8D* A2, 18
410 DATA 420 DATA 4-1© DATA 440 DATA 45© DATA 460 DATA 470 DATA 430 DATA 490 DATA 5O0 DATA
C3, 1 * D0, DO, 6E,C3, 3,0, DO, 6C.5F* 37, 5F, 32, 36, 37, 8D, 67, DE*6C*3A*B6, 1 98 , A7 , 0 , 86 , 1 , 9 1 , A? , 1 0 , B6 - 1 ,92, A7, 20, B6, 1 ,93, A7, 30. 86, 1,94, A7, 40 B6, 1,95, A7, 50, 33, SC, Cl - 10, 26,04* 5F, 37*86, 10* 3D*D3*6C*C3> 0* E*FE , FF D2, 8* 3C*3C,18» 80* 40*80*48, 80, 49* 8D, 47* 80,45*80*43* 80* 41, 80* 3F* 33*38 BD»FF*9l > 33, 25> C* 5C*CI > 6, 26, 03*33* 5C* Cl *5®, 26* 9E* 39* G6, 35, 31 * 7E* 84 33*0, 0* 0* 0* 0* 37, 36, BE* 6E* 3C, 30, A6, 3*C6, 50* 30, EB* 2* 89*0* E3, 0 10,A6,0i38*CE, 1,90, BO, FF* 67, 32* 33, 39, 0*0, 3C*A6* ©,36* E6* 1*37*30 54*54, 54* EE*6, £7*0,33*58, 49, 59, 49* 59, E7* 1 * 32* A7* 2* 80* C* 80, A, 8D 8* 18* 30, ED* 4* 38*9, 9, 39, E6, 0, 86 . 2©, 97, 6B» 4F, 54 , 24, 2, 9A, 6B, 74, ©
6B , 24 , F6 * A7 , 0 , 8 , 39 , 0 , 0 . 0 , O * 0 * 0 , 0 , 0 , 0 , 0 , ©
Figure 3: Demonstration program
100 OPEN "0" - #1 , "SPT0: 11 110 PR I NT# 1 : PR I NT# 1
120 PRINT#l,TABU6>i" r" ( STRINGSt 4€>"-"> I "i" 130 GOSUB 200: GOSUB 200
140 PRINT#1 > TAB( 16); " | Epson BASIC Sideways 150 GOSUB 200
160 FOR 1=32 TO 128 STEP 32: GOSUB 210: NEXT I 170 GOSUB 200: GOSUB 200
180 PRINT #1 ,TNB<16); “ 1-" ! STRING* 146, “-")J "■» " 190 CLOSE# l: END
200 PRINT#1 , ThB< 16); 11 1 " ; TAB(63) 5 " I " ! RETURN 210 PR I NT# 1 * TAB C 16); " |
220 FOR J=I TO 1+31 : PRINT# 1 . CHRT ( J); :NEXT J 230 PRINT#1,M ["
240 RETURN
Print Demonstration |
Figure 4: Demonstration printout
i
Epson BASIC £id*ua*s Print D*won*tr at ion j
1 " #mp <. )*+,-, x'© 1234567S9S * < = >? I?ABCD€FQHI JKLnHOPQPSTUUUXVZC K_
' ibcdsf^tii Jk liBnop^stuwwxirfzC 1 ■H-H M n
m
PC N FEBRUARY 1 1 1WW
A RANGE OF OUAUTY COMPUTERS AVAILABLE FOR THIS PROGRAM.
Thousands ol Commodore 64, Electron and BBC micro users have recently taken a trip into the heart ot Twin Kingdom Valley, and none have returned disappointed1 This incredible new program takes adventure games into new, uncharted territory, with a highly complex journey through over
you and your computer to the limit
Versions available now for Commodore 64, Electron and BBC Model B.
IN YOUR HIGH ST. NOW!
price £9.50
Bug- Byte Limited
Mulberry House, Canning Place, Liverpool
Dealers contact Matthew Thomas on 051-709 7071
Registered Dealers can order direct from CBS Distribution on 01-960 2155
There must be more to a micro than zapping monsters
See how much more when you plug into Micronet 800-a multi-million pound database that lets you play games
Micronet 800 helps your micro come of age
11 is the sophisticated network that many popular makes of micro can plug into via the telephone. giving home micro users new horizons to use and explore
Micronet 600 lets you communicate through your micro...
fciy linking you into a network ot thousands of micro users who always have something new to say to each other Through Letters to the Editor, CJubspof(for computer user groups) Swapshop tour electronic bulletin board) and electronic Madboi Micronet keeps you in touch with other people who want to do more with computers than )ust play games
Micronet delivers to your micro our electronic newspaper and PRESTEL
Newsflashes give you news and reviews on new equipment software and computer applications A Microbase dedicated to your type of micro contains technical hints and tips Vbu also have access to other facilities on ’ Prestel Homebanking with HomeAnfc, world and business news, leleshoppingand much more
Systems Innovation of the year
^Please send me the full facts about Micronet 000 Not forgetting the games!
Name
Make/ Mo del of Micro Address
Telephone pan z
MICRONET 800, Scriptor Court.
I t55 Farringdon Road, London EC1R 3AD^
Micronet 800 gives you software
Offering you some of the best software bargains around Through your phone line and straight into your computer Scores of educational and utility programs are included And a wide range of terrific games software Many of which are completely free and constantly changing every few weeks - just in case you want to take another zap at those monsters again
MICRONET 800. Scriptor Court. )55 Farringdon Road. London E Cl R 3 AO Telephone 0T-278 3f43
It’s enough to blow the mind of any micro !
One of the many faces on Prestel
PCN PRO-TEST
■77TTT77TT*
Spectravideo on view
John Leuiee is pleasantly surprised by the Spectravideo 52S, but the MS\ standard ruav turn
into a millstone.
Waving his glass, he lurched towards me. Why don't you lot ever come up to Brum?4 he said. "Why don’t you lake a look at this wonderful machine we've got? Tell you what. I’ll send you one? Despite my protests that L didn't really warn to review a Spectravideo 528, he was adamant and a few days later I found myself unpacking the beast and thinking it might just he good enough to succeed.
The Spectravideo is one of the first M5X machines, and comes in two sizes — medium and large The 528 reviewed here has 4KK ROM and 80K RAM, while the 518 has a rubber keyboard. 52K ROM and 52 JC RAM. They both run CP M, though we didn’t have the facilities to try this out.
MSX is intended to he a standard operating system for ZHO-hased micros, and is supported by a number of Japanese manufacturers; the idea is that standar¬ disation will stimulate software develop¬ ment.
Hut the problem for the advance guard is thal it’ll still take time for software to he developed , and there’s no guarantee thal it will ever take off. Because of this there’s still a great deal of scepticism ahoul the MSX standard.
Presentation
The 528 comes in a very large box. accompanied by a subsidiary box which houses the dedicated tape recorder, and is just slightly too large for the average carrier hag. A ring-hound beginners’ manual— the advanced manual has hatch achieved rumour status in this country — is also included, and the review machine came with copious leaflets in Hong Kongcsc .
Documentation
One promo leaflet sports the howler includes features previously thought un¬ speakable? and the manual has a page headed I/O Pintouts and Memory Mays, but you can generally work out what the manual's driving at.
The manual supplied with the 528. however, was for the 518,
As far as the manual goes, it's the clearest introductory manual I've seen. It’s well-illustrated and gives enough informa¬ tion for the beginner to write and under¬ stand simple programs by its end. It’s loose-leaf, and a nice touch is the graphics screen worksheet There are. however, a number of errors in the listings.
The pins of the expansion, cartridge, joystick and tape ports are identified, and you also get a list of ASCII codes. But .the manual is only a beginner's course, so if you w ant more, you'll have to w ait until the Basic Reference ( iuidr is on sale — our supplier couldn't say when it will he available.
Construction
The SV-328 is around t he size of a standard typewriter, and unlike its little brother the 518, has full-travel typewriter keys The detachable joystick of the 318 has been dispensed with and four cursor keys substituted in a cramped position at the top end of the numeric keypad.
The keys are too stiff for my taste, though three days of Frantic Freddy (see Software, below) loosened up the cursor keys a treat. There are five shiftable function keys above the standard qwerty layout, giving you a total of ten functions. Each function key has a function Hu ill into
the software, though they're also prog¬ rammable. There are also two delete keys — the right hand tine is a single character backwards delete; the left one deletes blocks forwards.
To the left of the space bar are two extra shifts which allow you access to the 52 block graphics: unfortunately . these aren't printed on the keyboard, which means something of a voyage of discovery.
There are two joystick ports down one side, and round the hack are the expansion port and cassette port and cassette port. These are both non-standard edge con nee- tors — the cassette recorder is dedicated, and built like a large brick. Its only merit is that it's dual channel, allowing you to incorporate your own speech, music or mysterious honking noises in your prog¬ rams.
The bottom and the rear of the machine have large vents, through which an extremely large heat-sink can be seen, which appears to pass directly under the cartridge slot. The temperature in there gets so high I could swear l saw a heat-haze over it. The machine seems to operate happily enough, so just push down the flap and you can warm your fingers in the slot.
The machine is built to take a monitor, but incorporates two g^nid ideas to let y ou use a TV? The modulator is outside the casing, so all you need do to use a monitor is get the right cable, and the TV cable iiself has a switch box so you can leave it plugged in to the TV. Thought fu] details like this one are particularly heartwarming.
Operation
Both the Spectravideos run Microsoft Extended Basie, and very nice it is too. There's a built-in screen editor, a sprite
55 ►
3.1
K N FEBRUARY 1 1 IMM
Epson have now launched the LQ-1500 that gives you the best of both worlds, the speed to get the information on paper fast and high quality print you'll be proud of.
The LG-150G is a totally new breed of printer. A dot matrix machine capable of 200 CPS in draft mode, which can also be set to produce letter quality at 66 CPS by simply flicking a switch.
Like all Epson products, versatility has been a primary consideration of the LQ-1500, incorporating friction feed as standard with optional tractor and hopper feed, and carriage width of a full 15",
You now have at your finger- tips all the advantages of a daisy- wheel machine, in terms of quality, together with the added benefits of condensed or enlarged characters and proportional
spacing, plus a very high speed when set to operate in draft mode.
Having superb graphics capabilities and optional 8 bit parallel (centronics) RS-232 and IEEE interfaces, the LQ-1500 has joined the Epson family of very fine printers.
EPSON
Extraordinary product. Exceptional quality.
rD;
3 I would like a demonstration of the LQ-1500 printer.
| □ Please send me details of my local stockist
□ Please send me details of the range of Epson primers. I Name _ . . . _
n
Epson (UK| Limited. Freepost. Wembley. Middlesex HA9 GBR Seles Enq mines: Freefone EPSON. General Enquiries: 01-902 0092. Telex: 0014169
Position
Company
Address
Tel-
J
command allows easier control of user defined graphics, a double precision maths package — also built in — and banked program switching from Basic, The latter allows you to run two programs at the same time, provided you base the necessary RAMpack, hut there’s little information about it in the manual,
The 3 IK alleges 32K ROM and 32K RAM. hut 16K of the latter is used for graphics, so you've only got I6K RAM The 328 has a claimed 4KK ROM and HI Ik RAM. and if you check memory available w ith print no it gives you a figure around . . . 29K? I whipped open the case with vague thoughts that I might find the missing 5 IK lying around in there some¬ where. I then called the distributors.
Apparently there is 80K in there, hut 16K of it is for graphics, and 35K is just sitting tw iddling its thumbs until you access it under CP M of Microsoft Basic on disk. The 29K available is comparable to other home micros, but Spectra video should really put some sort of qualifier into its advertising.
The sound chip on the Spectra videos is operated by what the company calls a Music Macro Language, and responds to the basic syntax play *'t i o". where C. E and Ci are the notes of that name. You can also specify sharp or flat . and can compose on three channels. Three channels of sound come through the TV. and as the chip operates independently of the Z8I) it can go its own sweet way while the on-screen action continues.
The draw command uses a similar syntax, eg draw "U50R50D50L50” — U is up. D down. R right and L left, check? But l still think calling this a Graphics Macro Language is a little overblown. You can also specify colours quite easily in draw commands — my only real worry was that the circle command seems to produce a very pretty elipse.
The machine has two screen modes, one low resolution and the other 256 x 192. This seems excessively average for a new machine, hut the software available does admirable things with what looks at first sight relatively low grade tools. The Spectra video has 16 colours in all. if you include transparent, and print and back¬ ground colour can be specified in the same statement. The review machine had an unpleasant screen judder whenever a white background was used, but combina¬ tions excluding white backgrounds gave good, static images.
The screen itself is 40 column, although an expansion card is available CO give you the Kti col urn n s you Ld need for profess! o n a I work.
Yes, (be Spectra video has a lot of software, and no, it hasn't. The reason for this is that, although the machine doesn't have a great deal of tape and cartridge software available at the moment, it does run CP M. and there hire in theory at least the whole range of CP/M programs is available for the price of the 80 column card and disk drive.
We didn’t have the necessary add-ons to check this out. and there's currently very little information about what will and will not run. The distributor says that it seems
UPCN PRO-TEST ]
crmSna
fairly easy to reformat Kaypro software for the Spectra video, and is currently check¬ ing this out. but it may be quite some time before full information is a\ ailable.
The Spectra video software, although thin on the ground, is impressive, especial¬ ly the two cartridges we saw . C ross Force is a particularly graphic and noisy invaders type game, but it was Frantic Freddy that won hearts. You* Frantic Freddy, dodge your way through a blazing apartment building putting out fires and catching cats as (hey jump from the windows, It's the cats that make all I he difference, and if future software is of this quality the machine’s success is assured.
There are also a number of serious programs available — this is perhaps a pointer to the micro's crossover status between home and business.
Expansion
Surprisingly most of the add-ons Spectra- video is advertising are on vile in this country. There's a motherboard expander that sits behind the machine and takes cartridges for modem (unavailable I. Cen¬ tronics and KS232 interfaces. Ktl column screen, disk drive controller and lf»K and 64k RAM-packs. The whole set-up is housed in a box which is big enough to balance a monitor on.
You can also get 5.25in floppy drives, a printer and a selection of joysticks. The graphics tablet and the Coleco Game Adaptor, which will allow you to play Coleco cartridge games, are not yet available.
The fact that the whole system is being launched at once is highly commendable, but it strikes me as a bit of a liberty to force you to spend £100+ on the motherboard just so you can get hard-copy output. Y’es, you've guessed it, the SV-901 dot matrix printer has optional RS232 or C entronics, You can run a single expansion unit with the adaptor hut you’ll need to plug in the
motherboard if you want to run two or more of them ,
The SV-328 is advertised as heiug expandable to 256K. feverish calculations make that the basic HUK plus three I6K and two 64 K RAMpacks, taking up five of your seven slots with memory. But forget all those nightmares about grandmother boa rds — i t s a goof in l h e adve rt isi ng copy , and it'll only take up to I44K.
Verdict
As far as the SV-328 is concerned the talk about MSX is really something of a red herring. The machine is good enough to stand up on its ow n. so it might even be to Spectra video's disadvantage if the machine's success depended on the MSX standard taking off.
A major problem is likely to be availability. There are very few machines in the country at the moment, and unless supplies increase dramatically there just won't be the user base the machine needs. At £21X1 the 318 is probably a Nr pricey to make much of an impact, but the £3(KI level of the 328 could make the machine stiff competition for the BBC R. and it could well find a market as a low-end business micro.
But the real threat to the Spectravideo, and indeed to all £300 to £5CX> micros on the markel now or about to arrive, is the new Sinclair OL,
If the Sinclair takes off as its specifica¬ tions say it should, then machines like the Spectra video will be in for a tough time.
However, from the range of peripherals, it docs look like the Spectravideoshave the backing they need to make a dent in the market, and logically, if the Japanese arc to make an impact in home computing, they will have to resign themselves to making heavy commitments to machines like these.
As a first try. the Spectravideo is certainly a highly creditable effort, and if there’s more where this came from, it s going to he an interesting year.
|
SPECIFICATION Pric# |
002.45 |
|
Processor |
ZWIA |
|
ROM |
48k expandable to 96k |
|
RAM |
80K (16K of which is graphics support, and 35K |
|
Graphic* *cr**n |
accessed through CP/M} 256 by 192 pixels |
|
kef hoards |
87 typewriter style keys |
|
Storage |
Tape and cartridge, single sided double density 5.25in |
|
Interfaces |
floppy drives w ith 256K unformatted capacity available Two joystick ports, edge-connector style expansion |
|
Operating system |
port MSX | |
|
Distributor |
CK Supplies. Weston-super-Mare 418838, The |
|
renpnrr «• |
Gamekeeper, 021 384 6108 SV-601 Super Expander £113.65 |
|
SV-903 Stereo Data Cassette £44 SV-602 Single Slot Expander £14.38 SV-902 Floppy Disk Drive £228.35 SV-901 Dot Matrix Printer £199 SV-8JI5 RS232 Interface Cartridge £67.85 SV-803 16K RAMpack £33.35 SV-802 Centronics Interface Cartridge £67,85 SV-SOl Dual disk controller £75.9(1 'Prices are being revised at the moment and may therefore be 3-6 per cent higher. |
50 PEOPLE WILL BE VERY LUCKY THIS MONTH OVER £80 OFF THIS SPECTRA VIDEO PACKAGE
Spectravideo 318 Computer Spectravideo 903 Cassette Recorder Four Spectravideo Software Cassettes Quickshotl Joystick
RRP £229.90 RRP £51.81 RRP £32.89 RRP £10.40
TOTAL RRP £325.00
FOR THE 1ST 50 CUSTOMERS ONLY £244.99
INCL. FREIGHT, INSURANCE AND VAT
★ ★★★★★
OTHER SPECIALS THIS MONTH
Quickshot 1 Joystick for Commodore, Atari, Spectravideo etc.
£9.00
CAMBRIDGE COMPUTING INTERFACE & QUICKSHOT 1 JOYSTICK
far Sinclair Spectrum 1648K, works with 99% of all available games.
£37.00
★ ★ ★ Prices inc. P&P & VAT * * *
Orders to the Game Keeper Freepost Birmingham B23 5BR
Or Phone Hotline 021 -384 61 08 (24 hour service)
Credit Terms, on Request
All prices correct while stocks last.
All items in stock at time of going to press.
Mi
PUN FEBRUARY 1 1 JW4
THE
COMPUTER
JUNGLE-
V5h» 40 tad- 5001 EXi« «0 t«s- 2«W.
%'V»*0 *«*.«» mi 100* l¥Sdr 40 f*t #4 n
nurac*
En*Jr «5 f *£* **h PM 400*
SSi3r 40*** DutfwCh
nuiGOK
£*%* 40 >«- Du* M0*
11*9 00
im w iiwn
*104 14 n uim it (»M Si
121012 £1 imc M u fVf H It
rm« [4
f 4*111 16
ltd M 16
*»fl IWW M
fitana IKKJO)
f rvooc 1619 M it
iratoo mm (*
(4*1 00 1154 n J 9
rnj oo nxA i»
i.jbujr now A TVn an# j4 fhawicdr^, 127100 (IMA
jje fin oo (i»» tio
20- <Wj|jair*no£lr* USEHffW! G« MmWW)
i»ni 144# ao s j
(44# » »UK IT tine* fiww ( •’ iiilOO IAin it
1HH (#0«4 it i 54 » |M*1 I V
asiK4*» # owe
Wmt Mam-ig
mao
(171#
fVUW CAT
Ifl M »P
t loo io II
moo i»#« ii
fit 00 (44 91 11
(in 00 i it* is si
1147 ir i m 21 ii
fit ftt 100
n»» Mp
I1M4 Mo
mu wp
12041 »!(J Mp
120 #1 121 « Mp
(|T» ID 11 1D» 11? »
16 04 1604 1604 1404 1604 1604 14*1
t*4l
1# 11
Ilti
IMS
ll»
n»
(S jo
tu » 1 11 M lit » fit M ill U
1*« Me
nn Mp
16 » Mp
10A Me
(OH Mp
ion mp
J’« Me
ion ion ion i*n ion moo mw (10 00 £10 00 iun moo
Me
MP
MP
Mb
Mp
in »
(ll U MB m» Me 111 11 Me
Marry more educational programmes on request.
I Be i-qM y«4?i a head of the competition end cOntect Aigot**. Ufahefieid no*
F Vale '*u>^ n».‘ wtr ■.
I
IfW-ff Iflocrts^
I (XU de me on yaj m#ig fel Q
I Send to:
Algotek Computer Co ltd , 11 Wood Street,
Wakefield WFl it L Tel: 0924 369555
I
_ KS |
Algotek
CQMPUTEHS
vmmvoiKi
PIN FEBRUARY II 1*JH4
37
a >CN PRE-TEST ]
imagana
800 Revisited
Gcuf Wheelwright renews his acquaintance with the current fop-range Atari
The Atari MOOXL is an old friend dressed up in some spanking new clothes.
It has lost some weight and added some style, hut inside the NUOXL lurks, more or less, an old Atari 8IMI. Like a childhood friend 111 at has gone to college. Ihe flOOXL now has a better memory (64K instead of 4HK) and has shed the old dual-hoard design for a slim, new single-hoard look which is a good deal more attractive.
There is a good deal about Atari's newest machine that isn’t so very new hut that's not necessarily a had thing. It uses the same old Atari Basie, takes the same old Atari cartridges, uses the same old Atari peripherals ports and the now- standard Atari joysticks.
This means that the huge base of disk, cassette and (mainly) cartridge software can be used on the machine with no problems, and that the Atari base of peripherals, including their printers, games devices and storage devices, will plug in easily.
The Hi, H IX I .. with its larger memory and smaller price (059). should be competi¬ tive with other machines* such as the Commodore 64. at about the same price.
In use
The Hi H IX L keyboard’s new high-technolo¬ gy design means the old orange special purpose keys have been turned into flat silver buttons on the machine's right-hand side and a "I lelp” key has been added.
Though the keyboard layout is much the same, the cartridge slots have been
red need tot he %i ngu lar . Th is i s no great I oss as you really only needed the second cartridge slot on the old machine to plug in Basic, which is now included in the price of the machine.
However, the cartridges are no longer goof-proof — you can take them in and out of the machine w hile it's still on. On the HIM I, the machine switched off whenever you opened the cartridge cubbyhole — there’s no cubbyhole on this machine and no such protection.
But the real difference between this Atari and its predecessor is an expansion bus, This is w here the serious implications of the XL can come into their own with plans afoot for a t "P M module . HO column card and modem.
Ihe XL also has a better class of peripheral to plug in, with an extensive range of new add-ons including a letter- quality printer, touch-tablet and disk drive — all of which perform a good deal better than the last hatch of Atari plug-in peripheral units.
The self- test routine that was so popular oil t he N K tX L a I so m a kes a n appe a ra 11 ce ■ >n the HOOXI. It tests the memory, the graphics and the sound with programs in ROM. so even if you can’t afford any software for your new machine you can still make it do something.
The sound and graphics capability of the machine is still superb — even by today’s over-higher standards — and, as always, relics on Atari's custom chips: the GTIA, POKEY and ANTIC. And the traditional screen resolution and colour modes are
preserved: lb colours at lh brightness levels through either a composite video monitor or ordinary TV.
Although the lack of an KO-column text mode may seem difficult for serious applications, the capabilities of programs like Atari’s Atariwriter word processor and the promises of Kll column cards and C’P M should relieve that difficulty.
Verdict
Another firm step on the Atari upgrade path, the Atari fMMlXL is a well-built and workmanlike machine that takes advan¬ tage of the vast exist ing Atari software and hardware (peripheral) base while adding enough extras (the smaller size, extra memory and the presence of an expansion bus) to keep essentially old technology alive in a quickly changing market.
This is a machine you don’t have to take any chances on. it's an Atari and will do everything you've come to expect of the Atari machines.
Price £259
Processor 65(12 C
RAM 64 K
ROM 24 K
Text screen lh formats up to 4(1 x 24 Graphics lh formats up to 320 x 192
Keyboard 62- key . fu 1 1 1 ravel
Storage Ded icat ed cassette unit
lirterfaces 2 joystick ports, peripheral
socket* parallel bus ©Slanguage Atari Basic
Distributor Atari International. Slough (0753) 33344
PCS FT-HRUARY II
Visions (Software Factory) Limited software is available from Boots Centre Soli Currys (selec ted stores 1 Ferranti and Davenport Greens Laskys Lightning dealers Makro Meiuie*. Priam dealers Record Fay re Rumbelows Software City Spectrum dealer* SupaSnapS (selected stores) Tesco
1994 i6 9i
(10 YEARS AFTER)
ZX SPECTRUM VS Q? 48
THE NAME IN VIDEO GAMES
FANS PLEASE NOTE1 ALSO AVAILABLE MAIL ORDER FROM VISIONS (SOFTWARE FACTORY) LTD l TELGATE MEWS STUD LAND STRUT. LONDON WS raiiwewr oi ?*s ?4ts
Replacing your Cassette with a Disk Drive, means DATA ACCESS in less than 5 seconds!
If you are looking for a guaranteed Disk Drive, fully BBC compatable, at a price that includes VAT, formating disk, user manual, cases and leads, then just look at our all-inclusive prices!
E*cl.
VAT
IncL
VAT
TEAC
SLIMLINE DRIVES
Including VAT
-TEACSS
DUAL DRIVES CASED
Inc). ExcL VAT VAT
40 TRACK TOOK £166 £ 144,35
40 TRACK 200K £230 £200 00
40/80 TRACK SWrTCHABLE 200K £199 £173.05
40/BO TRACK SWITCHABLE 400 K £257 £22348
40 TRACK 2G0K £320 £278.26
40/80 TRACK SWITCHABLE 400 K £402 £349.57
40/80 TRACK SWITCHABLE BOOK £520 £452.18
OFS KIT £75 £65.22
pen £32.20 £28
|
MITSUBISHI DRIVES |
Mttf ¥tt |
J*fmr |
|
400K SINGLE DRIVE £213*04 £245 |
||
|
BOOK DUAL |
£379 |
£435,85 |
|
800K & POWER SUPPLY |
£399 |
£458,85 |
|
1 v |
j |
'These drives are fully compatable with other Computers and can be used should you change your computer.
' Check our special terms for Educational Establishments and Government Departments _ _
DEALER ENQUIRIES WELCOME
WOW TO ORDER
Vi/derv
COMPUTER # SUPPLIES Uf
BV POST
T o purchase any of the lems stnviy W m your requirements listed above , m the coupon Enclose your cheque/PO or use your Access or Barela yc art! Please make cheque payable la. VO.EN COMPUTER SLEPLES and post to address below , alow 7 fo w days lor de*vnry & add £ B— 00 poslacje. package & insurance on al prices BY TELEPHONE (01) &43 9903 Credit Card holders I An tes vBar clay Card onty) can purchase by telephone Please give Card No Name Address and the item required
&vm££ ABOUT 0OX.494fiU#. DeUvBey St sei/££ /
| Post to; VIGLEN COMPUTER SUPPLIES UNIT 7 TRUMPERS WAY HANWELL W7 2QA
Please send me the following items :
UNIT 7 TRUMPERS WAY HANWELL W7 2QA Tel: <01 ) 843 9903
I enclose Cheque/PO. for £
I prefer to pay Access/Barciaycard (Delete whichever not applicable)
CARD No __ SIGNATURE
NAME _ _
ADDRESS _
Tel (Day) .
-Tel (Eve) .
OHM I £ A HK VAI Id II MI»D KY tXKU UK .
AIXHE5S AHtt HM » T\% P& ClBltHIHL. kHM*
U
■W
PCS JANUARY 7 IW4
macro piTO din
Vol 17 Part 2
PULL OUT t; AND I KEEP
Booking into business
Basic alphabets • Going for games
ATftRIMRITER SftEATE File
□elete me SPIT Fi le lOftMAT Disk □ HOEM Of Disk Fi Its lOAD Fi le SRINT Fi I<
0a ue File
SELECT LETTER
Though considered primarily as games machines, [he Atari computers are capable of handling all the standard small business applications of computers For example, the £159 Atari 6QQXL (above right) can do word processing (above left) using the Atariwriter cartridge, spreadsheets, (centre, using the classic Visicaic spreadsheet package) as well as database management (centre right, using Atari's Home Filing manager program)
Timewise (pictured below) is an appointments and calendar program that will run on both new and old Ataris. though you li need a system with a disk drive It will store not only names and dates, but produce an on-screen calendar with the dates for which you have appointments specially marked Timewise also has searching facilities that accept wildcards .
E3ispi*v
LS^ i it i
cn.fr ®r
WfwiM Hr MflM.
The old Atari 300 is the only Atari computer to have been produced with two slots for ROM cartridge software, and the Monkey Wrench Basic toolbox program is one of the very few cartridges I o use that second slot
MICROPAEDJA4TO
PULL OUT&Kk
ATARI AIDS IN BUSINESS
Although the Atari is treated as a games machine due to its graphic capabilities, it is actually capable of a lot more. The range of serious applications software shows this, with programs ranging from home management to education and from word processing to spread¬ sheet applications Unfortunately, being in¬ tended more for businesses, the applications software is more read i ly av ailable on d isk than on cassette, in some cases even requiring the use of two disk drives.
Perhaps the best range of serious packages are the word processors. Although the Atari normally only displays text in 40 columns there are over half a dozen different good word processors available.
Perhaps the all round best of these is Atari s new cartridge. Atari Writer. Aiso, coincidentally, it is one of the only good packages that will run on the new XL range. This simple to use program allows you to store files on cassetie or disk to be printed later.
The Atari Writer cartridge includes all the standard commands of a good word processor, including text movement, word searching re¬ placing and different formatting of text. Atari Writer also allows you to preview a page as it would be printed on an 80-column printer by scrolling over the page with the screen.
Other comparable programs for use on the old style 800 are Letter Perfect, which offers a good merge facility with its sister program Data Perfect, and Text Wizard, which has a good dictionary program available tor it. All of these systems, however, are priced above £50. The Atari Program Exchange otters a simple text editor for a little less.
The official version of VisiGalc is available for the Atari, although the price tag of £1 50 puts the program beyond the reach of most home users. This incredibly popular program allows you to store various mathematical data at different locations on a spreadsheet and link them together for use in applications such as cost forecasting, estimations etc. VisiCalc is a very powerful business tool and the Atari implementa¬ tion of il captures all of the best features.
For the budding programmer of the Atari computer various aids and languages are available. If Atari Basic gets you down then you can go for a proper Atari Microsoft Basic with all the standards and commands of official Micro¬ soft Basic as well as additions to cope with graphics etc, Alternatively, if you require a Basic more compatible with Atari Basic, try Basic A + by Optimised Systems Software. This Basic is upwardly compatible to some extent with Atari Basic and adds various commands and aids.
If you like Atari Basic and just want to make it a little better ihere are a number of add-ons that
can improve il. Monkey Wrench is about the only available cartridge that will plug into the right-hand slot of an Atari BOO (so it won t work on any of the others), and wilh Basic plugged into the left slot adds a machine language monitor as well as roughly 20 commands
For those without two cartridge slots, or the £50 needed to get Monkey Wrench, there are alternatives. For example, Ihe Basic Com¬ mander program by MMG software adds a similar number of commands for about £25. although it is available only on disk The Atari Program Exchange offers little utilities like renumbering for £ 1 0-£1 5,
If you re lotally fed up with Basic and wish to try something else. Atari offers Pascal Logo, Pilot, extended WSFN (Which Stands For Nothing), extended Fig-Forth and various assemblers. Other companies also offer Inter- Lisp, a Basic compiler. Forth assemblers, disassemblers. C compilers and Tiny C Most people will probably plump for an assembler as an alternative to Basic, but it’s nice to know that the other alternatives are there. Unfortunately, most of the languages require a disk drive in order to use them, the Pascal even requires two. Bui languages like Logo, Pilot. Atari s Assembler Editor and Microsoft Basic are available on cartridge.
Back to the business side of software, there is a series of programs in Basic and Microsoft Basic written by a UK company called Chipsoft. Ms programs include a Payroll that will handle up to 100 staff, and integrated Sales and Purchase Ledger programs which include 8 transaction types. 9 VAT rates, invoicing and statements and the possibility of integrating with the Stock Control program. The Stock Control can handle up to 1 .060 stock lines with computer generated stock numbers, alpha sorted lists and 9 product headings. Unfortunately all of these packages will require two disk drives and 48 K minimum to operate
Atari also provides a statistics program and a graph producing program as well as a time management one called Timewise Another area well catered for in applications is filing Atari S Home Filing manager offers a computer¬ ised filing card type system where you can till up the cards as you please and then search through them for specific phrases, even marking those found with a paper clip. For the more serious user. Filemanager + offers all the features of a professional database.
As already mentioned, the Data Perfect program can integrate with the Letter Perfect program to provide such facilities as standard letter mailing A name and address file can be set up using the Data Perfect program and the letter can be written using Letter Perfect
In addition to the business packages on the opposite page. Atari does a number of home business and business training style packages Family finances (top picture) is exactly what you mighi think it is — a disk- based system to itemise and analyse you family s finances .
Graph It (second from top) is a cassetie -based package to graphically display the type of statistics you would calculate using the Family Finances package.
Atari Touch Typing (third) is a cassette -based typing tutor program that helps you improve you typing ability with instant feedback on how you've done in each lesson, Atari Speed Reading (bottom photo) uses nice graphics plotting and display J techniques along with workbook materials to try and boost your reading speed
411 MICROPAEDIA
mi
AMPLE ATARI LITER AT UP E
information you'll need to improve your programming techniques on the Atari computers
from making the most of the graphics to using sound and the joysticks or paddle, you'll find the vital addresses, the mnpor- tant locations, the programming tricks to get your Atari to do just about anything you want it to do.
And If you want a generous collection of programs, in ready-to-run form, you II also find them in this book. From Beetle Juice (you. as a small, red beetle, try to cross a busy street without being squashed) to Dodge em (in which you use a joystick to drive your car around a maze, and avoid the computer s car), there are programs for every taste and occasion
The book is published by Interface Publications and sells for £4 95.
Learning to Use the Atari 400 800 by
Susan Fry is yet another in the Gower look-alike Learning to Use , . .series for alt popular micros.
Here are its claims; This beginner s guide really does begin at the beginning. It assumes that you want to learn to use the Atari 400 BOO computer in your work or leisure, not become a theorist in comput¬ ing. Learning to use the Atari 400 800 Computer provides a simple, down to earth, jargon-free introduction to the machine and its software.
Many applications of the Atari 400 BOO a re described, including business, educa¬ tional and hobby uses Additionally, a simple and direct introduction to program¬ ming the Atari 400 BOO is given in a way which will help motivate the user to further investigation of the Atari 400 BOO s capa¬ bilities The Atari 400 800's ability to produce and draw pictures and diagrams is explored and explained and programs for a large number of graphics applications are presented
Learning to Use the Atari 400 800 Computer is published by Gower and sells for £4.95,
Since all the Atari computers are compatible, books about any one of them should apply quite easily to all the rest.
In this. Atari owners are quite lucky. As Atari was one of the earlier entrants into the home computer market, there are a good many books about the Atari machines already available Of course, the new Atans do have a few enhancements over the older models, but Alan Basic is largely the same throughout and the add-ons are usually interchange¬ able. The ATASCII character set and sprites are universal throughout the range so that listings on one machine can be typed into another.
There are two major categories of book written for the Atans the listings book and the how-to-make-the-mosi-ot book. Not all Atari books would fit into these strict categories, but many fall within their guidelines
The Atari 600XL Program Book by Peter
Goode definitely fits in the first category It’s full of listings that cover a wide range ol applications including arcade, adventure and word games, music simulations and business graphics.
Arcade games are taken care of in games like Space City, Cruise Attack, Robot Island, Road Block, Road runner and Black Holes. Other varieties of game are considered in challengessuch as Dice, Fruit Machine. Flags of the World. Word- grams and Simper
In the introduction io his book, Peter Goode says that it was written; because we are aware of the potential of the Atari 60GXL we have written a wide choice of programs which make use of the compu¬ ter s facilities. If you are a games player, you will find ample opportunity to use the colour and graphics while testing your reactions and twisting skills to the full
The Atari 60QXL Program Book is published by Phoenix Publishing Associ¬ ates and sells for £5,95.
The Atari Book of Games by Mike James. S M. Gee and Kay Ewbank also fits into the listings category of Atari books In the authors’ own words, this book contains: 21 games about which two-thirds can be described as moving graphics games Some of these are variations on familiar themes, for example Invaders. Attack Squash and Bobsleigh. Others have titles that probably dent ring any bells — Sheepdog trials. Commando jump and Across the Ravin© .
Laser Attack and Mighty Missile are both zap-the-enemy lype games with special features that make them very different. Treasure Island is another program that is out of the ordinary It is a game that tests your memory and relies on a variety of interesting graphics techni¬ ques.
Capture the Quark is a board game in which you play against the computer on an eight-by-eight grid There are also some programs for traditional pastimes
The Atari Book of Games is published by Granada and sells for
Making the Most of Your Atari by Paul Bunn is another book that falls in the listings category — although it does contain a substantial introduction.
In addition to the usual collection of games listings there are also some utilities for the Atans included in this book. The book damns to indude: all ihe essential
MtCROPAEDiA 412
PULL OUTS KEEP
Atari Pilot for Beginners by Jim Gonian, Tracy Deli man and Dymax is a very specialized book for the Atari — a book on how to use the machines with the Pilot computing language.
The authors claim: With this book you can learn to make your Atari 400 and 600 computers play music, display colourful moving pictures and do mathematics. Discover the new Pi tot computer language which is designed to do import am things quickly and easily.'
It is especially designed to let the beginner (earn through play and experi¬ mentation with computer programming, and all ot the programs included in the book were tested by children and begin¬ ning adult computer users.
Atari Pilot is published by Reston Publishing and sells for Cl 1 .95.
Kids and the Atari by Edward H. Carlson, is very much a guide for the beginner's beginner. It s divided up into lessons and goes through ihe business of learning about computers in a very comprehensive fashion
Here s wha t the book has to say for il self : This book is designed to teach Atari Basic to youngsters in the range from 10 to 14 years old. It gives guidance, explanations, exercises, reviews and quizzes Some exercises have room for the student to write in answers that you can check later.
Learning to program is not easy because it requires handling some soph¬ isticated concepts. If also requires accura¬ cy and attention to detail which are not typical childhood traits. For these very reasons it is a valuable experience for children They will be well rewarded if they can stick with the book long enough to reach the fun projects.
That quote is from the Note to Parents —
there are similar notes to kids and teachers at ihe start of this book Although it all seems rather serious, the book is filled with cartoons and does take a rather light¬ hearted look at things.
It's published by Prentice- Hall and sells
fyw P 1C DC
Get More From Your Atari by lan Sinclair is one of those good all-round books ihat bridges ihe gap between a listings book and a how- to -make- the- most -of book. Not only are all the regular topics included, but also a smattering of program examples thai make things lhai much clearer.
This book is aimed at the beginner who has just acquired an Atari 400 or 600. but it should be of considerable service to the established owner of an Atari who has never ined programming. Programming for both models is identical, and the mam differences between the 400 and 800 are the keyboards, and the provision of an extra cartridge slot in the 600
Everything in the book, therefore refers equally to both the 400 and 800 compu¬ ters I am sure the text and examples will provide a welcome source of information for the beginner. I hope also that the more seasoned user will find much of interest, and perhaps a few welcome surprises/ The book is published by Granada and sells for £5.95
Atari Basic by Bob Albrecht. Le Roy Finkel and Jerald R. Brown is one of the better guides to Atari Basic
First published in 1 979, the book takes a lesson -by- lesson learning approach to Basic. The book claims rather simply that it will teach you how to wriie programs using the Basic language, specifically tor Atari computers.
' It i s the natu re of prog ress to find ways of improving things, and Basic is no excep¬
tion, so you may find that your Basic has some extra statements and refinements that were not in the 8K Atari Basic we used in writing the book So we encourage you to experiment and, if you get stuck, consult your reference manual.
Also, nolice that there is an appendix of functions By chapters 3 or 4 you enhance your understanding of the capabilities of your computer Learn how to save (CSAVE) your programs on the cassette recorder, if you opied to include one on your computer system. As you progress on to writing longer programs that are developed and modified, having an early version on 1 ape saves tedious typing time
Atari Basic is an American book pub¬ lished by John Wiley and Sons and sells for Si 0 95 there (UK price will depend on exchange rates).
The Add Ison -Wes ley Book of Atari Software isn't so much of a book as a major reference guide. It has tried to bring togeiher — in a comprehensive list — as many bits of Atari software as possible.
This is how the authors lay out their mandate: "This 1 983 edition of The Book of Atari Software is a software review book tor owners of At an VGS (and the new Atari 5200), Atari 400 . and Atari 800 computers, offering evaluations ot a wide variety of the programs presently available.
Atari computer owners are currently confronted with a bewildering selection of software from which to choose On one hand, as the owner of an extremely popular microcomputer, you have a rapid¬ ly expanding selection of software avail¬ able. On the other hand, this wide and growing selection of programs presents some problems, The majority of people staffing retail computer stores simply do not have the time to adequately review each new piece of software .nor to track the market in order to tell you what programs might be worth special ordering Add the fact that a large number of Atari computers are sold in discount houses and depart¬ ment and or toy stores where the person¬ nel are not normally knowledgeable about computers, then the strong need for a reliable guide to purchasing software becomes even more important
The Book of Atari Software claims to be that book. It is published by Addison Wesley and sells for $19.95 (again UK
41 3 MICROPAEDIA
mi
We continue our look at some of the keywords available in Atari Basic with the following fifteen
words;
LET LIST LPRINT LEN LOCATE NEW ON GOSUB GOTO PTRlG OPEN CLOSE PRINT PEEK POKE PLOT PADDLE POSITION
LET
The let command is used in Atari Basic simply for clarity. The command itself is not aclually required by the computer but is included in the Basic to allow the user to write clearer programs The purpose of the let command is to lell the computer to change a variable to that which must be specified. For example;
LET X = 20
tells the computer to set the variable X equal to 20 This could also be written as.
X=20
Pul using let can make understanding the program easier Strings can be defined in the same way ; let a$ = “hello" or
a® = “hello”
The list command is probably one of the most commonly used Basic keywords on any machine Its purpose is to display the contents of a program on the television screen. The program can also be tisTed to a disk or cassette (usr“c: or list“d:), allowing it to be enters later to merge it with another file, listp: will send the information to a printer instead ol the screen The list command does not have to show the entire program but can be made to pick out certain portions of the program by specifying a range of line numbers, eg list io.bg
will list ail of the lines ol a program in memory that fall in the range ot TO to 00 inclusive. A single line can be displayed by typing:
LIST 70
It no lines are within the ranges specified, or if there is no program in memory then the computer will immediately return with the ready prompt,
LPRINT
The lprint command is very similar to
YOUR
A-Z
OP
ATARI
BASIC
print (see later) although it sends the output to a printer if one is attached If the printer is not ready or set up correctly an error 138 message will be displayed, if lprint is used on its own the printer will just advance the paper by one line Some of the lormais of ihe lprint command are shown here: lprint aS (Prints out AS) lprint' Hello this is a message ( Prints the message between inverted commas) lprint 45 + 60 (Prints the result)
Sometimes when running a program it is necessary to know the exact length of a certain string. This is achieved in Atari Basic as it is in most Basics, with the len instruction: len (aS)
Of
LEN (“HELLO")
In the lirst example, the number of characters contained within the string AS will be returned and can be placed in another variable or used directly. In the second example, the number five will be returned as there are five letters in the word hello
The len function allows the Atari Basic programmer to obtain a number of tunc- tions that may be available on other Basics but have not been included in Atari Basic. Atari Basic does not support the keywords left$, right® or mid®. but these can be obtained using len The equivalents are shown here;
RIGHT® — 6$ = INT(lEN( AS) 2).LEN( A$) LEFT®— B$ = A$(i}.INT(LEN(aS) 2)
MID® — * B$-|NT(lEN(A$) 2)
LOCATE
The locate command is used to find out what is situated at a given position on the screen, eg: locate 20, is. a
will place a number equivalent to anything on the screen at 20,15 into the variable A This command can be used in almost any graphics mode and will either return a number corresponding to a colour or, in a text mode, it will return the ATASCI) value
ol a character An example ol how to use this command is shown in program 1
As with most other computers new completely erases the Basic program currently stored in memory, The new command will also erase any labies relating to the construction and mainte¬ nance of a program such as the variable name table, and arrays and strings are cleared and must be re-defined .
ON GOSUB/i
For a description of gosub and goto see the firs I part of this Micropaedia, The on gosub goto combinations add a lot of power to the use of these keywords In a program the combination might look something like this:
ON X GOTO 100,200.250,400,600
The variable X is used to select which of ihe line numbers m Ihe list following the command the program will goto or gosub when this line is executed The variable must be positive and the number is rounded to the nearest whole number by the computer. If the number is 0 or is greater than the number ol line numbers in the list the control of the program moves on to the next statement in the program
If the on gosub combination is used the program will go to the routine specified and then, on encountering a return com¬ mand, will return the program to the statement immediately following the on gosub statements. An example of the use of these commands is given in program two.
OPEN/CLOSE
The open command is used to open a device (such as the cassetie disk or the screen), so that it can be directly accessed and controlled from a Basic program The open command requires four different parameters to be specified. These are shown below
open num.num,num. filename The hash symbol ‘ " is obligatory and is used later to access an open file. The first number can be between 1 and 7; this simply names the file for later reference The second number determines the type of file that is being opened
MICROPAEDIA 414
PULL OUT & KEEP
I —
Different types include read only files write only tiles read write files and so on. The third number isoniy used in special cases { ie sideways printing on ihe old Atari printer). For most applicationsthis number is left as 0
The filename tells Ihe computer exactly what device you wish to use Some of the options here include c: for cassette data files, d: filename for named disk data files, s: for direct access to the screen handler, p; for access to a printer, r: for access to the serial pods on an Atari interface module and k: for direct access to the keyboard handler
Before a file can be opened it must first have been dosed by one of a few commands available te run. close, end etc The close option will close a file I hat has previously been opened and will generally tidy up any loose ends, open and close are demonstrated m program two
ftTES AMD CAP I I
5 2
I f > II T TANA
cCi
• A
The print command must be one of the
first commands any compuler owner must
learn on first contact with his machine
print simply displays information on the
television screen Some of the most
common uses are shown here
print x + 2*3 w
print Hello’
print #6 Hello again
print ,a$
In the first example the print command is being used to work out a maths question using numbers and variables, the result will be displayed on Ihe screen, Example two is one of the most common usages of this keyword, to display information en¬ closed by quotation marks Information printed in either of these two ways will be shown in the text portion of a split screen display or on graphic 0 screens only.
The third example outputs the informs- lion to the graphic part of a split-screen mode and has little use in mode 0 In modes 1 and 2 this format is used to print large text in the graphic area and using upper lower case and inverse combina¬ tions provides text in four colours If print # 6 is used i n a dra wing mode t he A T ASC 1 1 values of the characters used are trans¬ lated into colour values which are then placed on the screen
The last example shows the use of print to output information to a previously ope Ned file print statements followed by commas format printing to predefined column positions on the screen Following commands with semicolons (;) prints pieces of information directly after each other Use of print is shown in programs two and three
PEEK
The peek command allows you to find out what value is in any specific memory location, To use this command you must supply the memory location you wish to look at in brackets The value stored in that local ion can then be stored in a variable or used in a calculation of some sort or printed etc Using this command, for instance, you can look at locations used by the computer to store different information such as colour values, error codes and line numbers causing errors, The use of peek is shown in program three
POKE
poke is virtually the opposite of peek Using this command you can change the value stored in a specified memory location Each location can contain a number from 0 to 255 and POKEing a number greater than 255 info a location will result in an error Memory locations within the operating system ROM cannot be changed but can be looked at using peek An example of the use of poke is shown m program three
plot is used to place a point on a graphics screen, the colour of which will have already been determined by the color command {see Micropaedia last issue). After a point has been PLOTted, the graphics cursor will remain in that position unless moved by another plot command
or DRAWTO,
plot can be used in text modes to place characters on the screen; the letter printed must be selected by using its AT ASCI! value with the color command Use of this statement is shown in program five in last week s Micropaedia
POSITION
The position command is a bit like plot. except that no pwnl is plotted on the screen at the location where the command moves the cursor Usually used in mode 0. this command can determine the next position on the screen where text might be printed The cursor itself will not move until a print or plot command is executed
As with all Basic commands this rather long statement can be abrieviated to pqs When the prog ram is l isred t he co mma nd will be printed out in full
position is used very often m text modes 1o format the layout of text on the screen and to place te xt out side the nor ma l m arg in limits.
An example of this is given in program three.
PADDLE
There are two main types of game controller commonly used on the Atan Most popular is the joystick with eight directional movements and a fire button However, the paddle controller provides the Atari owner with a totally different form Of control.
The paddle isa small knob mounted on a base which also houses the fire button Two paddles are connected to each cent rol »er pod which mean s t hat up to e ight players could use paddles at once on the 400 and the 800 To operate the paddle the knob is rotated clockwise or anti -clock wise and this movement will produce a number between 0 and 224 which can be checked by using the paddle command such as x-paddle(o)
Paddles work in a similar manner to potentiometer joysticks. Turning the knob vanes the voltage of the current moving through and the computer can sense the changes
The paddles are numbered 0 to 7 from left to right, Many games use this number to directly position the player s object on the screen
PTRIG
As mentioned in the paddle description each paddle controller has a fire button In Order to check whether or not the tire button has been pressed the ptrig command is used With the same format as the paddle command, thePiRic com¬ mand will produce either a zero or a one If the value is 1 the button is not being pressed, but if the value is 0 it means the button is being held down 11 you have a pair of paddle controllers plug them info port one {the leftmost port on your computer) and type FOR T-Kt TO lOOCXLPRlNT PADDLE(O), PTRIG(O) NEXT T
Moving the paddle and pressing the button on paddle 1 should vary the numbers
415 MICROPAEDIA
RTRRi
The REM statement is only supplied for the user s convenience When the computer encounters a REM statement within a program it simply ignores it and continues the execution of the program at the next sequential line number. Although the REM statement need not necessarily be the only command on a program line, it must be the last one due to the computer ignoring information after REM The idea of REM is for the user to label the program and add comments that will aid in the editing or updating of the prog ram at a later stage The siatement is used in most of the demonstration programs to explain what each command is doing.
Program 1: LOCJitt command
10 REM DEHQ PROGRAM ( OCAU 20 GRAPHICS 0-Din BC5JREN SELECT rtOOE A NO SET UP SIMPLE
30 POSITION \2,\2^ "HELLO" .REN PLACE SO
HE THING ON THE SCREEN
*0 FOR T-I TO 5 REM START LOOP
50 LOCATE ll*t, |2tA ;R£N READ INFO rROH 5
CREEN
00 PlTl-AREM STORE INTO' ARRAY 70 NEXT T. POSITION IfitlJ.'’ CHR*fA):R£t1 i NO LOOP AND RESTORE LAST CHARACTER LOOKE D AT
80 7 .FOR T = 1 TO 5^ CHRitB t T ) ) j NEXT T REN DISPLAY CONTENTS OF ARRAY
The RUN command is used mainly to start the execution of a program that is currently in memory It can also be used with a filename to load and run a program from cassette or disk automatically, The com¬ mand is normally used in immediate mode to start oft a program, but it can also be included within a program to restart it.
When the computer encounters run it clears all variables and all files that have previously been OPENed are closed Any sounds are turned oft and strings and arrays are wiped clean RUN can only be used to start a program going from the first line. If it is required to si art at any other line besides 1 he firstlhen the command GOTO must be used. If it is required that the efteci of RUN is implemented but the program still must not start at the first line then the first line could be changed to be a GOTO statement that jumps to the desired starting position
RESTORE
RESTORE is used to reset pointers that are used with DATA statements (see READ). As the Atari gets information from DATA statements within the program, a pointer is incremented to show where the next item
Program 2: cosub and mo urn commands
10 REH DEM© PROGRAM 2 - ON GOSUfi.'GOTO AN D OPEN/CLQSE
20 ■> ENTER A NtlNEFR FRO«' I TO 3" + INPUT A :REM GET A NUMBER
30 ON A GOTO 50 f B0i 70 -REM CHOOSE ONE Of THREE PLACES TO GO
40 GOTO 20 : REM START AGAIN IF A BAD NIIT10 F.R IS ENTERED
50 7 ENTER ANOTHER NUMBER, EITHER I OP 2" i INPUT BJRCMI NOW ENTERING A N(.RTg£R FO R THE SECOND TEST
55 ON B GOSUB B0,A0:RfM GOTO A SUBROUl IN E ACCORDING "□ The NUMBER SELECTED 52 RUN -REM RESTART PROGRAM ON, RETURN ON MISTAKE
00 ? the PROGRAM mill COME HERE if you CHO SE A 2 TO START WITH -REM SECOND GOT 0
05 RUN .REM RESTART PROGRAM 70 7 "YOU CHOSE 3" .RUN .REM THIRD GOTO 00 OPEN lit 12,0+ □: TEST. OAT : RE 1 URN :R£M OPEN A FILE TO AMEND A DISK DATA FILE A0 CLOSE *1 i RE TURN .REM CLOSE PREVIOUSLY OPENED FILE
should be read from. During the execution of a program it is sometimes required to restart the READmg of information at a position other ihan where the pointer currently is. RESTORE on its own will si art the pointer back at the first DATA statement in the program, bul a different DATA statement can be specified by adding a line number to the RESTORE keyword.
READ
READ and data are used together to enter information into a program. The DATA statement can be situated anywhere in the program, but there must be as many elemenls in a DATA statement as there are calls through the read statement.
The best way to understand the use of these commands is by looking at program one The DATA statement can have as many variables as can fit on a single line but each one must be separated by a comma. The READ command will read a piece of information from the DAT a section and place it in the variable specified with READ
Inside the Atari computers, and indeed, most others, there is a random number generator. The use looks like this:
MUM RND(O)
A number between 0 and 1 , but never actually t itself, will be placed in the variable NUM If you wish to get a higher random number you simply multiply the numberobtained by the maximum number you wish the computer to give you. The zero in brackets alter RND is a dummy variable and can be any number.
STOP
STOP is rarely used in a final program but is very useful when writing and debugging programs. When used in a program the STOP command will cease execution of the program and display a message telling the user what line the program slopped at This command will not close any open files or cut off sounds or destroy any variables The program can be resumed at the next line number by typing CONT and pressing Return
Program 3: peek and pome commands
10 REM Of MO PROGRAM 3 - PEEK POKE A NO PO SI T ION
20 GRAPHICS B.OQKE 62, 10-^ -R£M SELECT M ODE t GET l-EFT MARGIN TO 20 30 ? LEF1 RIGHT REM SHOW PR
INI IMG USING THE PRINT STATEMENT fABREUl A1£D T0
40 POSITION 0jG REN START PRINTING DlH S I DE THE USUAL BOROFRS
58 7 OUTSIDE' -REM TEXT ARREARS WHERE PR TNT S T ATMtN1 cannot PlACE IT 60 POSITION 0+0
70 ? THE 'MARGIN"
80 7 "R0ES5 RETURN TO CONTINUE
80 IF PFEKC7M30255 THEN 110. REM CHECK
THE i DC ATI ON That RFAOS ThE KEYBOARD TO
SEE IF A KEy IS PRESSED
*00 GOTO 90 -REM IF NOT RETURN 10 REEK Au
AIN
V0 END 'REM STOP PROGRAM WHFN A «EV IS RRESSED
Micropaedil editor: Geoff Wheelwright Design Nigel Wmgrcve Con tri b u to rs R i chard Hawes
NEXT WEEK
We continue our indepth look at the Atari machines with an examination of add-ons and plug-ms including the new range of peripherals
You II get a chance to see ihe new trackball, printers and storage devices — as well as find out about some of Atari s future plans And in two weeks we begin a special investigation of the workings of printers
MJCHOPAEDIA 416
24 HR. CREDIT CARD SALES HORLEY (02934) 6083
PAYMENT BY CHEQUE, P.O,, ACCESS VISA 8 HIGH STREET HORLEY, SURREY. Overseas 50p post& packaging
TRADE ENQUIRIES WELCOME
29, West Hill.Dartford.Kent. (0322)92513/8
AN/ROG SOFTWARE
COMPUTER GAMES _
OF TO M O R R
HEXPERT
PLAYEl
:D TIME TR
APPROVED FOR
STACK LIpHT (TRIFLE/ '
INDIAN ATTACK £5 95 ^ ^
COSMIC COMMANDO £5^5 VENQ£ANCE OF ?ENO £5.95
KONG £7.95
4 SfFEENS WITH BRILLIANT ANIMATED GRAPHICS
SKRAMBLE J S, £7.95
6 S&CTORS TO TEST YDUR SHILL
HEXPERT \J.S, £7.95
TRAIN BERT TO BE HEXRf RTlON THIS 3D HEXAGONAL PYRAMID
MOON BUGGY \\ J.S £7.9?
MANOEUVRE YOUR PATRfJL ERAFT OVER GIANT POT h3lES AS YOU DEFEND THE MOON BUGGY FROM ALIEN ATTACK
FROG RUN IkIb./J.S. £5.5 5 \
aVopular arcade game f jn for the whole family
3D TIME TREK \ K.B./J.S, i 5 95
SPECTACULAR 3D GRAPHICS ETAR TREK GAME
DUNGEONS KB £6,95 v
ENTER THE REALMS OF FANTASY IN THIS ROLE PLAYING GAME
DARK DUNGEON? K.B, £6.95
2ND \ THE SERIES OF F0Lfal DEFINITELY NOT FOR THE FAINT HEARTED \
I PCN PRO-TEST
THIS'LL LEARN YOU
Some educational programs are not all in the same class.
Colin Cohen puts a few to the test
H^kuhli\hing educational xofiwaie is B^much like any other educational publishing — if it\ to he of any use lo the end user I old-fashioned parents cull thcmchildrcn ) it has toembody both sound educational ideas and sound publishing practices- In the case of computer prog rams everyone is still very much feeling their way and as a result it is often easy to confuse novelty with a good idea. This won’t last long as the novelty soon wears off. and anyway the kids are not us likely to be impressed by gimmicks as their elders. Many programs now available can be used by primary school ehildrcn with the minimum of adult intervention, but the eh i I d ea n ea si ly he eo n fuse d b y t he d i ffc re n I conventions observed by different pub¬ lishers, which means that programs differ within a series.
Mr Men
A ease in point is the first of the Mirrorsoft programs I saw — First Steps with Mr Men which is followed by Quick Thinking and Caesar the Cat, They run on the Spectrum and Commodore 64 as well as the BBC B. Mirror Group Newspapers have done more than just buy big names and merchandise them as computer programs, hut the v still missed some opportunities.
Apart from the technical instructions there is a little Mr Men’ booklet (hy Richard Boulton and not Roger Har¬ greaves) for the adult to read aloud. It contains four stories (there arc four programs on the tape ) and each is written in a relaxing style. One would he quite happy tii read them without the accompanying programs as there are little coloured draw i ngs which mirror the screen displays. So what are my reservations? Well, the instructions sav that you need the short program name to t main'”* the program, when of course it is not needed as the tape itself shows. There are two programs on each side of the tape and one is told to <ta hi > < iiki ak> and chain'”' to gel to the next program. Surely a single key should be used for this *
( >n the face of it is also a nice idea to give the child a cardboard rip with four coloured and pointing Mr ('levers to Its above the function keys. Unfortunately the directions in which they are pointing arc not that clear, nor is it immediately obvious which lour function keys ol the ten thev refer to My live year old would certainly have preferred the simplicity of the normal cursor keys ui steer the cursor
(Mien, even in the besi regulated programs, i ho child can tiud its operation simply too complicated. Under these circumstances (which do not really apply to Mr Men) it is nice to have an easy reward for 1 he child. In the case of Mr Men two of the programs allow you lo change the background colour just by using d ai»>, and in one ease <t i hi > changes the foreground colour. The effect is very dramatic and rewarding as it cycles through the colours and its pleasing to get ‘some¬ thing for nothing".
The games themselves arc quite simple — two do little more than teach eye and hand co-ordination. In the first game Mr Greedy has to he directed at an ice cream, and each time the child succeeds the steering is made more difticult by added obstacles. In the second game only one of the keys is used, hut even a live -year-old can still keep it pressed too long. The Mr Ft irget f u I games a re a ft > rm of pe I m a n i sm i n which the child has to remember what is hidden in which cupboard — a good deal more difficult than the eye to hand co-ordination of the first two games, The ■inimationsof the Mi Men figures are a real pleasure, as is i lie hornpipe lliat is played as a reward!
Ollie Octopus
Ollie Octopus comes from Storm Software and in Ama/mgl Mlie he (or is it she? ) has to be steered round a maze. 1 have taken it on trusl that a billion different designs are possible. The octopus goes collecting lish round the maze which has a reason ngly solid feel il you make a w rong turning, tn one v ersion the fish are then re-displayed at
the side with one larger fish representing the tens, which introduces the child to tens and units. Two further versions allow tine to play against the clock or blindfold. Both are much loo difficult for primary children, but the program does claim to he for the whole family. I'm not at all sure what is the point of steering round a maze which has not been drawn as I don’t believe that it is possible to create in the mind and then memorise anything but t he simplest maze.
Ol lie Oci opus' Sketchpad is inte nded for five v car o Ids , bu t w< iu I d be be tier rega rded as an introduction to colour graphics for all ages. The cursor keys cannot be used as there are eight possible directions for which the function keys are used, while another cycles the colours. C draws a circle. V a square and B a triangle, + and L make them bigger smaller. D is for disappear and S for shade: w hat logic is there in this choice?
There is a very neat demonstration program in which Ollie draws the cassette cover. It is well worth watching several times as it shows very clearly how you can create quite complex images from basic shapes. Apart from the choice of control keys the program is remarkably simple to use — more than can be said for some other paint programs, though it would probably be even easier for a child if the joysticks were used instead tif the function key s for some purposes. And w hy. oh why is there no primer dump .1
Not everyone has a printer it is true, but surely no graphics program can be com¬ plete without one.
Fir* steps with Mr Men i £*.95 1 Primer Educational Software, BBC (Spectrum soon) Quick Thinking i £6.95 1 Widgjt Software. Spectrum (V4 ( BBC soon > Chut the Cat (£8.95) Andromeda Software, Commodore PuMt&h«r Mirrorsoft Outlets Mirrorsoft, l kilborn Circus. London ECU 01-K22 358U/UQ (Retail)
Amazing Oflfe and OfU* Octopus’
Sketchpad (£6.95 each) Spectrum t IhK) BBC, Storm Software. Winchester House. Wooton Grove, Sherborne, Dorset (0953-813528)
m
I
PCN FEBRUARY If 19*4
MiOt lames
BBC SPEECH
PRICE BREAKTHROUGH
Speech Synthesizer For The BBC Computer
\
Totally unlimited vocabulary is now possible with the revolutionary "SWEET TALKER" Speech Synthesizer for the B B C. A or B Microcomputer, any senes.
The CHEETAH '"SWEET TALKER" simply plugs into speech socket 1C99 within the computer No soldering, no cutting of tracks, no headaches.
Based on an aUophone system you can easily program any word, sentence or phrase and - incorporate speech into your software games Fully tested and guaranteed.
Complete with demonstration cassette and full instructions.
UPGRADE YOUR
ZX SPECTRUM NOW!
The CHEETAH 32K Rampack simply plugs into the user port at the rear of your computer and increases the memory instantly to 48K.
• Fully compatible with all accessories via rear edge connector* m No need to open computer and invalidate guarantee.
• Why send your computer away and wait weeks for upgrade.
# Fully cased, tested and guaranteed.
Why wait any longer?
ONLY
£39.95
inc, VAT and p*p
Now make your
SPECTRUM and ZX81 Talk!
The CHEETAH‘'$weet Talker1' just piugsinto the back of the computer using the existing power supply. Based on an allophone system you can easily program any word, sentence or phrase. Fully cased, tested, guaranteed and compatible with ail accessories via rear edge connect or. Complete with demonstration cassette and full instructions.
No more lonely nights!
Terrific
Value
at
when ordering please quote whether Spectrum or ZX81 owner
Also available:
16K Rampack for ZX81 £19.75 64K Rampack for ZX81 . £44.75
Prices include VAT, Postage and Packing. Delivery normally 14 days Export orders at no extra cost . Dealer enquiries welcome Send cheque/PO now to:-
CHGGTdH
MARKETING LIMITED
24 Ray Street,
London EC1. Tel: 01 278 6954
Cheetah, products available from
branches of
WHSMITH <$>
Rumbelows
and all good computer shops
PCN FEBRUARY (H |y*4
51
FOR THE BBC MICRO
SOFTWARE
TINY PASCAL — Pascal- T is a 16k Eprom program capable of compiling Source Pascal into a com pad and very fast threaded* interpretive -code Full editor and disc-support are included and the program is supplied Together with comprehensive documentation.
PRICE £59.00 + V.A.T.
X CAL — An expert Computer Aided Learning package in 16k Eprom and support disc No programming skill required lo construct learning 'sessions as the program is screen' driven, Facilities include Text pages. Graphics and Histograms.
PRICE £65-00 + V.A.T.
FORTH — FIG-FORTH in 6k Eprom together with manual.
PRICE £34.72 + V.A.T. LOGQ-FQRTH — A 16k Eprom program introducing this very powerful but extremely friendly Turtle-Graphics language Users also have full access to the Fig- Forth support nucleus Full documentation is included. PRICE £59.00 + V.A.T.
M UT5 — powerful machine code monitor with disc utilities-
( Special discounts available for educational establishments for all the above software}
HARDWARE
Always in slock Printers, Oise Drives IC's etc
FOR THE EPSON HX20
SOFTWARE — FORTH ROM including full documentation. £34.72 HARDWARE — Expansion Unit, Paper, Microcassettes etc.
Please phone for quotes
Retail Mail Orders Dealer enquiries to:
HCCS ASSOCIATES 533 Durham Road, Low Fell, Gateshead,
Tyne A Wear NE9 5EY, Tel. (0632) 621924 Retail sales also at:
HCCS MICROCOMPUTERS
122 Darwen Street. Blackburn, Lane*. Tei (0254) 672214
P—™™. DITTO DATA LTD _ _
|| ATTENTION ALL TOP PROGRAMMERS!!
1 1 YOUR BEST AND ONLY THE BEST MACHINE CODE GAME j j
i j PROGRAMS FOR COMMODORE 64 — VIC 20 — B.B.C. AND j j l| SPECTRUM.
j ! WE WILL ENSURE YOUR PROGRAM HAS MAXIMUM SALES j j |l SUPPORT, WITH OUR LARGE DEALER AND MARKETING i|
ii NETWORK. j|
I ! OUR OWN LARGE INHOUSE DUPLICATING OF TAPES AND j I || DISCS.
Contact: NEW PROJECTS DIRECTOR
DITTO DATA LTD. j:
CORNER HOUSE
6-8 THE WASH
HERTFORD
SGI 4 IPX
Telephone: HERTFORD 554474/554484
■wwww ***** ****** ***** w a#**#**
THE
MAGAZINE
FOR ALL ATARI COMPUTER* OWNERS
I
MOOmO(V©OOXL^OOXL
A
ATARI
1FHUL
UTILITIES
THE BEST PROGRAM LISTINGS from
US. A. UK.
AUSTRALIA
•
PUBLIC
DOMAIN
SOFTWARE
iLIBRARY
SPECIAL
OFFERS
100 . MACHINE LANGUAGE GAME PLUS GREAT BASIC GAME
* REQUIRES 32K
PAOC 4 It pufcU,th*d b.monthh* Annuel lubttnpnon It 14.00 TQOAV tor
PAGE 6. P.O. BOX 54, STAFFORD. ST16 1DR
T^0T»*1t«
52
Pt N FEBRUARY 11 l**H4
MARK GODDARD
4V
. AZTEC' LONGURGEll
Richard King looks at a C compiler which is not nearly as ancient as its name would suggest.
AZtec-C is a new (to the U K } version of the justly -fumed C language. It's been avail able for about a year in the US. during which time some minor hugs have been eliminated and the system has been upgraded a little.
Aztec-C* now in Version l,tl5b, is largely complete and so should be stable for some time. It is a direct competitor to other systems-development packages in¬ cluding UCSD p- System and other Cs. some of w h i eh have bee n arou nd for qu i te a while, but it's generally superior to most. Aztec-C has true floating-point variables, unlike B US C* it has a proper libra rv w hich is lacking in the Software Toolworks version, and it is much less cumbersome (and less expensive) as well as more standard than Whitesmiths which, though generally agreed to he the most complete implementation, is also very mainframe' in feel, with lots of cryptic error-messages.
Features
Aztee-C is a complete new system u Inch in general won t handle programs developed under another , Forget Basic . . . this is C* File compatibility is maintained, however, and in some ways enhanced, since a Unix convention is applied. This says that there's no real meaning in the concept of a file-type, with the result that it is quite possible to load an executable binary image into the text-editor. Admiuedls* this is a pretty silly thing to do, but Unix
(and most of its derivations! figure that you're the Boss, and if you want to do silly Ihings. then it's your business.
The same flexibility of approach is found in the language, which like all Cs allows almost ami hing to he done at any point in a p rog ra m * with t h e merit of t ha t det a i I bei ng left to the programmer.
Aztec-C is a particularly accurate imple¬ mentation of C with almost all features of the 1^7^ definition. The only difference is the lack of hit-fields, which are a hit of a luxury anyway. There is one small devia¬ tion from the standard in the library, caused by the fact that Unix uses the li ne- feed eharact e r ( $f > A , Coni rol -J ) as a n end-of-line terminator, Apple DOS. on the other hand, uses carriage -return (SOD, Conirol-M). So in the DOS version two versions of getef ) and pute( ) are provided, one w hieh translates and one which doesn't.
Finking the nnu-translaiing versions produces code which will run under Unix, the others give code which runs under DOS. It's not a perfect answer to the problem but it's reasonably convenient. Producing object -code for a non -DOS system doesn't require a whole new compilation — all you have to do is to relink, using the alternative routines.
It has often been said of one 'real' language or another that it can't he implemented because the various compo¬ nent programs won't fit on a micro. The Aztec-C system-programs not only fit, hut
do so quite comfortably. Admittedly, w ith the small (E43K) capacity of the Apple disks* an evolved working setup generally results in three types of system -disk having one major section of the system on each. Using the full system involves a certain amount of disk -swapping* hut J didn't find this irritating because the very sophisti¬ cated hatch-control features of the shell eliminate much of the drudgery that this entails.
Another truth’ is that it is almost impossible to write a compiler for the fr502. Oh? What's this here program called C 65, then ? Putting C source through it produces code full of stuff like m?a£S»>, tax* pi, a. asl.tav, i.oa S vi.x. dby and soon, which the b5U2 assembler swallows without a murmur.
The Aztec-C system is available in three major versions — for the 6502* Z-SO and g08h — and each can he delivered for several machines, fsee list.) Each is compatible with another at the source- code level, and provided one is running on the pseudo-machine they should he com¬ patible in compiled (hut not linked) form* Whether native code on the same proces¬ sor in different machines is compatible is something that couldn't be checked,
Under Apple DOS 3*3 the complete system is in effect a 'proto- Unix'. It looks very much like Unix, and in many ways Operates much the same, too. It isn't UNIX* however, because there aren't (as yet) any tree -structured directories, pipes
54 ►
FCN FEBRUARY HIWU
53
< 53
or genuine fillers. Neither is there any multi-tasking, which would he a pretty silly thing to make most micros do anyway. It can be done . hut the result isn’t going to he much more than a toy. You certainly won't be able to run six or seven real programs because there just won't he enough mom, nor sufficient throughput from the CPU.
The system does follow the Unix convention of keeping the actual com¬ mand-processor as a normal program instead of as part of the system-tracks, so rc-mink'lting this could add any facilities which are thought desirable. However, don't blame me if the flexibility of the system results in you planning subtle progra mv of deep com pie xi t y w hi eh si m ply won't fit.
Documentation
The documentation is large* comprehen¬ sive. and fairly hard to understand. In fact, to make much sense of it at all you will definitely need a copy of K & K . and will have to do quite a lot of work with the archive and lihrary files.
The problem is that the informal ion is all there, hut much of it locked up in these files. In particular* it seems that the only way of obtaining a comprehensive mem¬ ory-map is Itt use the 'arch' program to extract each module* then to re -assemble and relink the entire system again with the list opt ion turned on in assemblers and the linker. This results in symbol tables being pul on the disk, and sorting these lists in various wavs reveals the secrets.
The documentation also assumes that you have a fair knowledge of macro¬ assemblers, link-editors and so on. Each is explained, hut not verbosely, and none of the manuals pretends to he a tutorial — ■ they are definitely reference wrorks.
Operation
The system formed by the Aztec-C shell and associated utilities, though more ‘mainframe' in feel than many other micro operating systems* is quite easy to learn by messing about — not so big that it is hard to remember, nor so small that it’s cramping. A pleasant balance of features is the key to its case of use.
In DOS it actually consists of the shell, t he prof i Lc . an edit or a nd t wo compl c tc sc t s of programmers’ took and files each comprising a compiler, assembler and lihrary files, the output from which are combined into a runnable program by the
linker. There are also a number of utilities for examining files of various types, hut to form a really developed system you'll have to add some more of your own , or fi Jch the source from someone who’s done it already.
The .profile is an idea nicked directly from Unix, Actually, it's a perfectly normal cxcc-filc which makes things happen when it's called. Typical tasks mighl he to load special drivers or to run a menu-program. The significant aspect of the .profile is the name, which the shell searches for on booling. If it's there it is executed.
The standard editor* VED, is a bit thin and not very fast either. It’s adequate for editing command-files and programs, hui I’m not writing this review on it. for example.
The worst omission is the lack of sc arch -and- re place which can result in some t i resome re typing. It does have some nice features such as a Help page which is displayed in response to a question mark bei ng t y ped ,1 Liked the security of it. too. If a file is loaded forediling and some changes are made and a :q (quit) command is entered, the editor tells you that the file has been altered, and it won’t exit unless an exclamation-mark is appended to the command as a confirmation. A similar check is made for new file' and others.
The process of w riling and running a program in C is much the same as for any other compiled language. First you write some source code and save it as a normal text-file. Next the desired compiler is invoked, either CCI or Cb5. depending on what output is wanted. CCI will produce assembly language for a pseudomachine. C65 will produce h5U2 assembly et»dc. Naturally, the other versions have compil¬ ers and assemblers for their own proces¬ sors.
Apart from the h5tJ2, the and WUKb are currently supported* and cross- assemblers are available so that the sy stem is not genuinely portable but even more so than certain other much- vaunted operat¬ ing systems.
Assembler output is combined with modules from the library by the tinker. This produces ait executable program which can be run ( under the Aztec-C shell ) simply by typing its name* together with any arguments. Routines in the shell are used as a library to save on space, and though in general this wrould mean that
programs are just as dependent on being supported by the rest of the system as p-code is in the p-System (a crippling limitation b Aztec-C has an extra set of libraries which stand alone — they work without the rest of the system being present. Invoking the linker with these Hies as the libraries will produce a program which is. to all intents and purjyoses, a perfectly normal self-contained machine- code program.
Plenty of source-codc is included in the library* including all the drivers* all of ihc standard C functions as defined in K & R, not to mention the whole of the pseudo- interpreter w bich is highly unusual in itself.
The linker is a fairly comprehensive one with all the essential facilities. Symbol- tables may be produced, the base-, code* and d ala-addresscs may be independently specified andthelisi of libraries can he read from a file. The linker uses the standard Apple- DOS R- form a I files, which are described in the DOS manual. The CP M version uses the *REL format, which is much the same thing.
The pseudo-machine alluded to earlier is a fairly typical one. with dozens of opcodes, many of which are much more sophisticated than any real processor. Included are multiply and divide opera¬ tions* modulo, 2s-complement. unsigned and floating-point arithmetic as well as eight different comparisons.
Verdict
The sy st e m * as it s lands * is a s good as ot he rs of its type* and better than most. Certainly it's less dictatorial than t he p- System . more flexible than CP M and its languages* and less idiosyncratic than BCPL on the BBC* Apart from other Cs, this is probably the product which Azlcc-C resembles most closely. 1 like it enough to consider it a serious alternative for m a jor prod uci s . a nd would recomme rid ii. k »
RATING
Features
Use ability
Documentation
Performance
Value
nnnn
nnnn
nn
nnnn
nnnnn
Nairn Aztec-C Application C compiler for program development System Apple, CP M mm, MS-DOS. PC- DOS* Uim ml store 64 Prie* 1 1 on 18 hit ), 1 IMS 1 1 6 hit i Supplier I’airays Ltd. Pilgrim House, 2-6 William Street* Windsor, Berks ¥5-56747
54
PC N H KKI AK5 I \ 1W4
Your Best Source of Best Sellers
Addtette
\ri$i(5rvr
ANIROG
dbntcuy V
rrn j r i I L 1 J
l&EIMB
smcSwiEBA
CAL
— ^ANTAWA
If I
^LWJ*DU cilsoft
[ocecni (ps)
I’OSTERN MU "™g« ♦ diamond/oft
fML
jg, _ MtiKfUl
is in Hem,
DJL SOFTWARE
mm
nrn-rnis nfui i jiH
LOTTILORIEN t
Gemini
Airodki
gsiaiS?
Stell
U i i V i VfVt ■ mm ' : f
Ml it II L
Opus
SUNSHINE
SUPERIOR
mmmym
rncsosPHBt
1 LllLill.uJ.t~
hui mos
Durell
lorruMME
We know what's selling
CS
ideMI
Asa leading distributor of home computer software, we know whars selling in retail outlets. Weve also got the knowledge and capability to best service and supply the requirements of quality computer shops nationwide.
The 12 top games featured above are available now in
shops and other good computer shops supplied by Tiger Distribution.
Make sure of your stocks - and our support - by contacting your Tiger Distribution van-salesman - or by phoning our tele-salesgirls
on G51-420 8888.
Tiger Distribution, Commercial House, 4 Victoria Road, widnes, Cheshire, was 9QY.
John Menzies
spreekMm
Your Best Source of Best Sellers
THREE EXCITING NEW GAMES
IN THE SERIES FOR THE
FROM sum im
m/cnowARi
iiL/XiilV 64
We promise you won t be able to turn <1 off! It's a real skill tester and loads of fun to play'
Play with the Keyboard or Joystick. Choose your own operating keys
with our User Definable System.
Compete with an opponent by selecting Two Player Mode...
Great graphics, super sound effects in the Uvewire tradition including a selectable Melody Mode where the tune is available at the touch of a key and Melody On is indicated by a quaver graphic
Program No. LW04 £8.95
oaiaij ass 64
Not jusi a game an Experience!
IT NAS IT ALL!.. EXCITEMENT.. HUMOUR.* STRATEGY
Jumpin Jack leaps into a totally new look lor the 64 created by
Three Dimensional Graphics giving f ull Perspective to the
game. PLUS hosts of features never seen before!
Submerging Turtles — Snakes — Crocodiles - Otters - Lady Frog — Dragonfly!!’
It's Fun ***
ITS FROGRIFFIC***
Program No. LW02 C8.S5
f
C
64
£12.95
: THE MOST OF YOUR
GAMES WITH
'/new allbhvtish lO ACE ^oJsnCK
_ • Complete with TWO YEAR
Complete with TWO YEAR WARRANTY.
* Fits snugly into either hand*
* Robust purpose designed switches*
* Instant action — left or right Are button.
* Centre fire button.
* Non scratch grip pads.
snnmm
mtcnowARE
1 96 Deansgate. Manchester M3 3NE
NEVER BEFORE NASA COMPUTER GAME LOOKER SO EXCITING...
.. FELT AND PLAYED SO E XCITING . ..
Clip ihe coupon below, and return to Sumtock M>cr aware Dept PCG-F2 T98 Deansgate. Manchester M3 3NE MMRM ■■■
or Telephone 061-834 423H Fv T
j Please send me the following Software
i |
i
[I enclose Cheque/P O for £ me , P + P U K only i
jTo Name | Address
; Post Code I
'Ajso available from good compiler dealers and bookshops nationwide Hgtya j
Watch astonished as the Triad hurl themselves towards your craft in a remorseless battle against your intrusion Feel the heat blast of their anti¬ matter fields
Your pulse laser will have to turn white hot before this encounter is over...
Featuring -
A new DIMENSION*..
Into the realm of TOTAL
PERSPECTIVE
GRAPHICS**.
Program No. LWQ3 £8.95
GAMEPLAY
SPECTRUM
Bovryll
bower
Nm* Bedlam System A avSpeo r rum PHw £5 ^ PuWUh# MC
Lothlonen. 56a, Park Lane. Poyntun. Cheshire FottmI Cassette languai* Machine code Guttata Mail order/Re tail
Call mu narrow-minded, but until recently 1 thought it was possible to judge (he quality of a program simply by its size — ie if it fits in IhK then forget it, l was wrong.
Objectives
You're trapped on an Asylum planet called Bovryll. To escape you musl move around the planet, or to be more accurate, a maze of cubes as this is what Bovryll looks like on your TV screen, killing things before they kill you.
In play
There are three skill levels to choose from* Level I is ‘easy11 and allows you to race around the maze incredibly quickly* Level 3 is 'hard’ and simply slows your movement down* making you an easier target.
A nice feature of this game is that it allows you to redefine the playing keys. This, of course, means that Bedlam is compati¬ ble with absolutely any joystick — w hat a super idea.
Unfortunately, whether you choose to use joystick or keyboard, the control of your laser takes some getting used to. This is because to change direction and run, something that 1 needed to do quite often.
you need to push the joystick once to point you in the re¬ quired direction* then release it and push again to actually move. This system is sometimes useful but more often just plain troublesome, and totally baf¬ fling if you haven't read the instructions before playing.
Most of the things that you have to kill are si m p I v ka mi k aze nutters who hurl themselves at you. However, as you progress through the game flying saucers appear and these aciuallv shoot at you* and quite accurately too, Both types of enemy move w ithin t he confines of the maze . the maze being only one screen in size. It is therefore easy enough to develop some sort of battle tactic.
Verdict
Though the game plan is not original* it is still enjoyable. The use of sound and graphics is superb, with good animation of the various luna¬ tics. In fact, some of my friends didn't want to shoot them as they were so cute,
[fs a pity that the game doesn't progress anywhere; with no different screens to work up to and explore, you're left trying to heat the previous high score. Even so, hecause of the difficulty involved and the excellent use of graphics* it still ends up being fun to play.
Top marks loo for the redef- inuhle keys, and all this in IhK, Roger Howofth
RATING Lasting appeal
Playability
Use of mac Nine Overall value
aaaa
aaaaa
aaaa
Morris
askance
Maui# Morris Meets the Bikers System Anv Spectrum Plica i.6 PuMtebor Automa taUKLtd, 27 Highland Road. Portsmouth .
Hams P<)4 9DA Fwiat Cassette LMfMf* Machine code Other wraiw Nom; Outlets Mail order
We’re suffering from a case of Morris Invaders — after Maurice Minor for the Dragon 32 comes this arcade -type game in which the family favourite does battle with the leather- jacketed bikers.
Objectives
You're in a six-storey car park and must exit at bottom right, avoiding hazards and collect ing enough coins to pay your park¬ ing fees There are nine screens to get 1h rough before you reach freedom.
In play
Morris begins at the top left of the scree n , a nd dow n c i ( be r side are travel lifts, which he uses to get from one floor to another* You choose which keys you wanl to use for moving Morris and firing or, in this case, parping.
Before you can exit to the next screen you must collect ten coins which appear randomly one at a time on the various levels. You have to collect each coin, and if you try to exit without all ten coins you lose one of your five lives. You have to keep an eye on the fuel gauge . of course . and collect the cans of fuel which appear.
Having worked out what to collect you must then work out what to avoid. Only by playing the game do you discover that
the Hashing horseshoe shapes are wheelclamps which hold you still fora few seconds, w hile the double-prongs are tin tacks which slow down your speed.
The two lifts start at slightly different levels hut can be lined u P si m ply by ridt ng one of t he m to the top. Brick walls block off some levels on each screen, and there are P’ for parking signs which remove some of your collected coinage when you drive over them. There's no way of avoiding the hazards completely as coins frequently appear between a hazard and a wall.
And finally there are the bikers. These ride from side to side on all levels save the bottom one where you have a free run to the exit. They move at the same speed as Morris (unless he's been tin-tacked) and can be blasted out of existence with a beep from his horn. You can be almost at the safety of the lift when a biker appears from nowhere and you're a gonner. You can't continually sound your horn as you don't move while it's beeping.
Verdict
After the pot t mess of Pinutnm 4md the glories of Grtmcho I was disappointed to see Automata putting out a run-of-the-mill arcade game. After |usi a few plays l*d progressed to the fifth of the nine screens, sir ace games pi a vers should polish this off in no time.
It's a silly 'game in the w rong sense of the word.
Mike Gerranl
RATING
Lasting appeal AA
Playability A A
Use of machine AAA
Overall val ue A A
Ft N FEBRUARY IIIW-l
57
£499 + vat
With Centronics parallel interface and free BBC Micro dump listing.
from BBC Micro screen - \ size mode
Options available :
• Buffered RS232 interface.
• Viewdata & RS232 interface
• Apple II interface.
• IBM PC dump.
30JnfJai
J* / 0 at
do
^5
Sped/r cations 640 dots/line.
84 dots/inch both axes.
Friction feed rollpaper with single sheet feed A4.
37ops in full colour.
Ink cartridges, 4 million character life.
■ '' i. t
Church Gresley, Burton- on -Trent. Staffs DE11 OPT Tel: 0283 215432 Telex: 377106
Dealers, OEM Sc Educational enquiries welcome
GAMEPLAY
Adventure and arcade action await those who tread in Boh Chappell's footsteps.
64 selection
New games for the 64 are beginning to pour onto the market. Here’s a sample of the latest.
WIDOW'S
REVENGE
HEROES OF KARN
INVALID
navt »
SOUTH—
CflD
Heroes of Kant is a Large text adventure with the bonus of a graphic deple¬ tion of each location. There are also pleasant musical entertain¬ ments when you reach certain points — one of the airs* Greensieeves, is rendered as soon as you begin the adven¬ ture.
The cassette inlay gives some imaginatively written back¬ ground to the story , from which you learn that you must rescue the four Heroes of Kant, each of whom has his own special abilities which you will need to
eall upon. Needless to say, you must also find and bring back the treasures of the realm. Meet up with a gypsy encampment and you'll discover a bit more.
The graphics are interesting and drawn quite quickly although colour in- fill is rather slow, I low ever* each picture is only draw n on vour first visit to a location so you needn't wait aga i n un less y ou req uesi a f re sh look.
Commands can he complex, ranging from the simple — take box. north, etc — to Ihe more , sophisticated. Some of the comands and formats are pro¬ vided on the cassette inlay. There is a save game facility but this is available only when you quit or restart the game An interesting and lengthy adventure that is likely to keep you away I rum your other games while you try to finish it.
turns oui to variation on i
The widow in question here is a spider, a black widow, What the game he is another n old theme —
centipede.
An army of beetle-like in¬ sects tramps across the screen firing rays down the screen whenever they collide with one of the many eggs cluttering up the place. Below, you control a cannon, the idea being to obliterate all objects indiscri¬ minately, animate or inani¬ mate.
The widow in question has only a small role — to scurry across the screen at random intervals* hoping you blunder into its path, A flapping vulture is on hand to replace the eggs you are busy blasting.
There are many rousing sound effects and hags of action to keep you from nodding off. The trouble is that it is too similar to ( hut not quite as good as) Exterminator, Hubble Bus's earlier Centipede look- alike.
KICKOFF
a
Far better is Bubble Bus's other new re¬ lease. Kick Off, This is a micro version of that old seaside and arcade mechanical favourite — Table Soccer.
Kick Off is Pretty similar except the raws arc controlled by joystick or keyboard. The
computer records the scores and keeps putting up the halls. Though it is mainly intended as a two player game . you can play by yourself. However, the one player contest is pretty dull as the computer doesn't lake over the other side At the start of every match, you are treated to a rendition of a sporty tune and you can select the hall speed. Control of your rows of players ( a kes a I i 1 1 1 e getli n g used to but * once you've got the hang of it it becomes second nature. You get eight halls per game and the learns change ends ortce four of them have been used.
Great fun. Addicts of the ori gi na I wi 11 fi nd t his comes we 1 1 up to expectations.
In more familar arcade territory is Xerons, a game that
Galaxian fans especially will welcome.
Against a backdrop of twink¬
ling, coloured stars, you move your ground-based ship left and right to battle against bomb- dropping, suicidal aliens.
The Xerons are a mixed bunch, some wiggling, some spinning like demented star¬ fish, Several of them peel off and swoop down towards you, releasing bombs as they dive and loop. Overcome one wave and another soon follows, meaner and swifter.
There ae no skill levels or starling screens and you can have only one missile in the air. These restrictions apart, this traditional space shoot-up, aided by attractive graphics and decent sound effects, is thor¬ oughly enjoyable.
n
w hose job is to
recover as many stolen treasure chests as you can. The setting is a multi-floored chamber whose platforms are linked by ladders and tightropes. Pursuing you are a number of two-legged enemies — you can leap, swing across the tightropes, climb up and down ladders* and dig traps in order to escape.
The catch? 'Fhere are ISO different screens to conquer. If that's not enough, there is a built-in game generator for you to create another 1 50 screens of your own design. Given this facility, you could end up play¬ ing Lode Runner for ever.
An exciting game of grab it and go — though expensive, its scope gives excellent value.
«f Kin* | cassette £7.00) Interceptor Micros. Lindt m House, The Green. Tadley.
Hints.
Whkrw'i Revenge, Kick Off i cassette £5.95) Bubble Bus, t he Computer Room, H7 High St.. Tonbridge TNI 1LS
Xerons i cassette £5*95) Supersoft, Winchester House, C anning Road. Wealdstonc, Harrow HA3 7SJ
Lode Runner i disk £24.95) Brodcrbund. USA — - available from Ccatrrsoft stockists.
94
Ft N H URL ARY II IWJ
VIC-20
GAMEPLAY
Zeal for Zorgon
Name Zorgon \ kingdom System E xpanded ( K. 1 fiK I Vk 21 ) Price £6.9M PiiMittaf Romik Software . 272 Argyl I A vc nue , Slough , Berkshire Format i asseti c Language Machine i c n ic Other version! None Outlet Mai! order and most dealers.
Zorgon 's Kingdom is described by Romik as a *real-time graph tea I ad ve ntu re' and , wht le that may be stretching things a little bit. this is nonetheless an original and absorbing game.
Objectives
For reasons best known to Romik, you find yourself in an interesting and unusual king¬ dom populated with a strange mixture of aliens and alien devices. You have to man¬ oeuvre yourself around the five screens by using a variety of keys (since the joystick option didn’t work on my Vic 20) in order to defeat the evil Zorgon minions and, who knows, maybe even the master Zorgon himself.
En route you have to pass through a weird assortment of obstacles that put your reflexes to the test, and lead to an acute case of ‘arcade finger".
Your progress is timed throughout the game, and the ultimate objective is to defeat Mr Zorgon in the shortest time possible.
In play
The first stage of the game takes awhile to load , a nd t he Pla y k ev
on the tape deck must be left dow n for subsequent stages. Although it gives you a little breathing space in between levels, it can become a major one when, having lost all your lives, you find that you have to start from level one again and re-load everything.
Level one is a pretty mun¬ dane affair: you have to run up ladders and avoid holes and various bombs. You have to do the whole thing again when you’ve reached the top for the first time.
On to level two. where the pace hots up a hit. Here you begin by jumping onto moving lifts, then you have to avoid a swarm of falling aliens that look like bats but are referred to as "Gorgoids" (shades of Kenny Everett), swing along onto a boat and off it again , chase a few octopi and catch ihem when t hey m u ta te , a nd fin ally escape , Level three is evert more ridiculous. Among other things you have to avoid organ pipes and electric wires in your atlcmpts to progress further.
Here your reviewer's prog¬ ress ground to a halt.
Verdict
If you have the required mem¬ ory expansion this is well worth investigating, A shame about the lack of a joystick on my version, but the game certainly manages to pack a lot into a little computer,
Pete Gerrard
RATING
Lasting Appeal ft ftftft Playability ftftft
Use of Machine ft ft ft ft ft Value for Money ftftft ft ft
Flying
buttress
Na it* Right Zero-One -Five Sy*4«ti Unexpended Vk 2* ► Plica 16. ¥5 Publisher A.V.S Format Cassette Language Basic Other Versions Nunc Outlet Mail order Retail.
Looking nothing like the Roll¬ ing Stones record of almost the same name. Flight Zero-One- Five is an above-average flight simulator for the unexpanded Vic 20.
Objectives
As you may well guess, your aim is to control a plane from take-off to landing again, watching out for air turbulence in between.
The extremely helpful in¬ struction sheet supplied with the cassette gives detailed advice on how to control every¬ thing, so without further ado it's over to the Sopwith Camel, on with the flying helmet and chocks away.
In play
The one and only screen display that you get throughout the game has a maze of information on it, hut after a few ex¬ perimental flights you even¬ tually get to know what every¬ th i ng is doi ng . A mon g t he m a n y things to look at and gel yourself confused by while playing the game are the air¬ speed, range, artificial horizon, course indicator, radar screen, fuel level, revolution counter, and much more.
The display itself, despite having all this to look at. isquite clear, and unlike many Vic programs someone appears to
have thought about ihe colours that will be used to show vital information on the screen.
The control keys are many and varied, and you'll have to constantly refer to the instruc¬ tion sheet provided in order to remember them all. Eleven keys arc used in total, including the four function keys, and all hough one could argue with the choice of some of them they’re all easy enough to remember in times of panic. It's not meant to be easy.
The use of graphics is pretty perfunctory as most of the information shown on the screen is purely textual. The sound is rather better, and the sound of the aircraft racing along the runway prior to takeoff has been done well.
Overall it is not too difficult to master once you can remem¬ ber where all the control keys are. Indeed, the instruction sheet guides you through your first flight, so it becomes merely a question of doing everything at the right time. You are told what went wrong if disaster does occur, as it inevitably will at first, but you shouldn't have any major problems in landing safely after the first five or six attempts.
Verdict
Clearly a lot of thought has gone into this, and it manages to pack an awful lot into the limiting 3*5 K of the unexpunded Vic,
If flight simulators your thing, then simulate yourself a few quid and buy a copy.
Pete Gerrard
RATING
La sting Appeal ftftft
Playability ftft ft
Use of Machine ft ft ft ft
Valuetor Money ft ft ftft
K N FEBRUARY 1 1 IW4
NEW
96 AND LAUREATE
The Keys to low cost Business Computing
CP/M is the control program for business systems which is used more than any other. Usually the price fox such a system, which provides access to a vast range of business
Architects to Zoologists, Estate Agents to Warehousing, Haulage to Publications. A Business hardly exists which cannot make cost effective use of the 96 or LAUREATE.
software, is far higher than the cost of the LAUREATE.
12B/LAUREATE SYSTEM
128KLYNX
Disk Drive I
Disk Drive H
Disk Interface
Parallel Printer Interface
CP/M Master Disk and
96 SOFTWARE PACKAGE 96K LYNX
Electronic Typewriter Kit: Parallel Printer Interface Word Processing
Programmers Tool Kit: FORTH MODER-80 Numerons
Manual
The Suite of Perfect
Software:
Perfect Writer/Speller Perfect Calc Perfect Filer
This is a range of packages specifically designed for business needs. There is a spread sheet for financial forecasts and calculations, a word processing package for letters and document production and a filer for storing, sorting and retrieving information such as mailing lists.
Computers PLC, 33A Bridge Street, Cambridge CB2 1UW
The Electron
and Car to
Pack u p you r paim lx »x . t hrow away your paint brushes and Wit h P1XST1 K™ , the colours never m n dry and you dt in* t ha vt*
me >vc into the electronic age of art with our amazing new to worry alx hi t pai >er supplies , it even has an e raster fadli t y.
P1XSTI K™ You just plug in and all the materials you need are listed on the
1 TXSTl K™ opens the way for all the family to create colourful screen * You 'll tiave access to up to 16 excil ing colours and 1 1>
designs and pictures - yet it’s so much cleaner and simpler to use separate commands. Simply give your instructions by pointing
than conventional crayons mid paints. Plus you have the built -in PIXSTIK™ at the appropriate colour or command,
advantage of the exclusive ABC feature . ABC' stands for animat e, PIXSTJK™ t ■< mi Idn 1 1 lx- easier to operate . Whether you ' re eight
bounce and cartt x mi t meaning you can even add movements to or eighty, you * U find it fasdnat ing, especially w hen you discover
your sket cites and draw ings. It ’s just like creating your very o w n the range < rf pictures you can prcxJ uce .
cartoon dips. Wherever your imaginat ton goes, PIXSTIK™ will follow. It gives
« " ithher l 5 Srt a tow examples
ic Faint Box onSet i
you freehand freedom or creates straight lines, triangles, rectangle's, circles and ellipses with geometrical precision.
Choose whether to fill your shapes with solid colour or leave them blank . And if, after that, you still favour a paintbrush effect, simply move PIXST1K™ into paintbrush mode and it wrill do the nest .
What makes PIXSTIK™ even more special is that it doesn't simply slop with a completed picture. Because it incorporates the special AIK1 feature, you can use individual designs as part of animated sequences and cartoons.
At the "animate" command, pictures stored in memory will reappear in turn. On the "bounce" instruction, your pictures will move forwards and backwards and when “cartoon" is called up, they w ill reappear continuously in sequence with just the effect of a professional cartoon clip.
For only £29.95, the P1XSTJK™ pack includes three superb computer games to play with your stick, plus a comprehensive I instruction manual.
No paintbox could ever offer so much.
So swap your paint brush
for a PIXSTTIK™ today
ltTs the paintbox of the future.
Pictures can be drawn uMtig fine line*, blocked line* or paintbrush effects for extra variety
P1XS11K™ can bring all your pictures to life. Use it to show the sun moving across (he sky, smoke curling from a chimney and an arrow hitting Us target .
Hie only limit on PIXST1K™ designs Is your own inventiveness. Then1 are even up to three different stick modes to ensure different colours can lx* drawn across eac other without merging.
□□□mm
nnnnnni
irt* | PIXSTIK™ if available b> mail order only, exrlusivrb from l umpuldpit Ltd,, (kires Road. kirkhi Industrial Estate,
* Tb order send cheque RO. for £29.95* pavahl p to:
COMFUTAPIX LIMITED
Cn-dii cant holder* *ttnply phone in your number on 0313 IK 2020 (24 Hour) or complete U» following;
Credit card no, . . . . . +..„*.*** . . .
f JViaa [ Diner* [ American Kxpreu |P)ra*e tick)
type of Computer: (Fleaaetlck)
□ VIC 20 COMMODORE 04
□ BBC MODELS [ ATARI 400 ,1*00.600X1. OR KUOXL
Name
Mwl to Computmmx Limited ■ ■*« MH Mr . I
FREEPO«T(No ■tamp required) ™ 'V MB
Liverpool uml. mmm Fit ta Isfae-f
allow 28 days for cienmnw and delivery. ,
lealeni: Coniari Neil Dai idson on 031-317 274) Telex; Slum
PCN PROGRAMS: LYNX48K
PCN PROGRAMS: LYNX48K
Gllll) TRAP
We pay for published programs on u sliding styit n hith take inlo drcmmi length, ciwnplcxilY « or i|*inalit> dud Ihe programming skill demon si ruled in the program. So why not give us a m\ for our money?
As w ell as cash, you receive the satisfaction of seeing y our name in type and knowing that yuur program will he snipped oul and Tiled away in the libraries of micro enthusiasts throughout the country.
Send your contribution, on disk or cassette* together with a plain paper listing and brief summary notes to:
Ken (parriK'h, Personal Computer News* 62 Oxford St. London* WI A HG*
All disks arid cassettes will he returned as soon as possible after evaluation of publication, at our expense.
Gridtrap, from M S Fowkes of Searpark Durham, is a game of skill, thought and speed. The idea is to escape from the blue grid bv collecting all the green diamonds. Those of you using grey and grey televisions willofcou rseseeagrey grid with lighter grey diamonds, but a little imagination works wonders.
You, represented by the pink line, start from the y el low square {light grey) and, moving along the grid lines, make your way to the nearest diamond. Avoid the red obstacles as these tend to be a little bit lethal when you run into them (you wind up out of the game). Also don't try to run over your own trail as
this will take you out of the game as well. Your moves will be timed, and if you lake too long planning your next target diamond, points will be sub¬ tracted from your score. Since you cannot go to the next grid with a negative score make your mo ves as fast as you can.
PROGRAM
NOTES
Title Grid trap
Machine lynx 48K
Application : Game Language Lynx Basic
Author M S Fowkes
|
20 |
Initialise variables 5 - score, G = grid no. , J = time limit to move. |
|
30 |
User- de fined gra phics . |
|
40-90 |
Game |
|
100 |
PROC G R 1 D d raws b 1 ue grid and then protects it, |
|
230 |
PROC INIT draws thegnd border and the titles |
|
360 |
PROC SETUP |
|
370-410 |
D raws *he red obstacles |
|
440 |
I ni i ia l ises the si arti ng point . |
|
460-570 |
D raws the green di amends |
|
500 |
C hecks that t he re are no diamonds already in that position. |
|
520 |
C hecks thal 1 he re are no obstacles i n that position |
|
590 |
PR OCC AM E. |
|
630 |
N equa is t he nu mber of di amonds collected |
|
680-710 |
Keyboard input (cursor keys). |
M
0 REM **GR IDTRAP M* S. FOWKES 1984**
10 PROTECT 0
20 LET S-0 * 6= 1 , J =300
30 FROC GRAPHICS
40 PROC INSTRUCTIONS
SO PROC GRID
60 PROC INIT
70 PROC SETUP
80 PROC GAME
90 END
100 DEFPROC GRID
110 CLS
120 INK BLUE
130 FOR A= 1 0 TO 190 STEP 10 140 MOVE 0, A ISO PLOT 3,250,0 160 NEXT A
170 FOR A™ 10 TO 240 STEP 10
100 MOVE A, O
190 PLOT 3,0,200
200 NEXT A
210 PROTECT BLUE
220 END PROC
230 DEFPROC INIT
240 INK RED
250 MOVE 0*0
260 PLOT 3,250,0
270 PLOT 3,0,200
280 PLOT 3, “250,0
PCN FEBRUARY II IW4
THE
FABULOUS
VALUE that's out of this world
50 GAMES ON ONE CASSETTE
DRAGON OOOaib Spectrum ^nppfc ATARI ORKM ZXRt VK' Jj
y It is impossible to ’ ' * tell vow everything
about the 50 games on CASSETTE 50 bul they include many types such as ma/e, arcade- missile. tactical and logic games to suit most tastes in computer
EXPRESS DELIVERY ORDER NOW
i. Cassette 50 at £9.95
b a cheque postal order tor made payable to Cascade Games Ltd
game playing
CASSETTE 50 will appeal to people of all ages and ih# games will provide many hours of entertainment tor all the family at a fraction of the cost of other computer games *t
Address
Post Code
Country
|
SPICTfiUM P |
] ORlCl [ |
i n 8i r |
] we m r |
|
BBC kf (I |
J DRAGON L |
] ATARI L |
3 □ |
CQSCOdC
Cascade Games Ltd,,
Suite 4. 13 Hay wre Crescent, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, HGl 5BG England Telephone I0423J 504526 pcurjr
J
Regardez !
LANGUAGE LEARNING AIDS FOR
Already In use in numerous schools and colleges, these programs provide an immensely powerful aid to foreign language learning The cassettes include extensive vocabulary lists arranged as a series of lessons, each covering a different subject A tuition control program enables individual lessons to be loaded and used as required
Words, phrases etc are presented first in one language, then the other complete with all necessary accents and special
Kosmos
Soft*®*
n.
ikosmos
1 $(#**■*
Ml, I r
IRates
FRENCH, GERMAN & SPANISH
characters. Masculine, feminine and neuter words appear in different colours to encourage gender learning All lessons can be run in three different ways, i.t. learning only, self-test or speed and accuracy test.
The programs are suitable for pupils of al ages as simple commands enable new lessons In vocabulary or grammar to be entered by the user These may then be edited as required and stored on cassette for later use. Invaluable for homework and exam revision!
Level A Cassettes Contain the tuition control program and 1 5
comprehensive lessons for general vocabulary learning Level B Cassettes: Contain the tuition control program and 1 6 lessons including verb lists, adjectives, adverbs and phrases .
Available from dealers, large stores or maU'order
Also Available 'THE SPANISH TUTOR''
Software
I Pilgrims Close, HaHingt on , Dunstable, Beds LU5 6LX Tel 05255 3942
^osmos Software. I Pilgrim i Close, HaHmgton, Dunstable. Beds LUS 6LX
IPtease tuppfy (he following programs for the computer
(B8C "SPECTRUM! fPncn nvkidt pcnUjre ApacAme}
Th* Francti Mnttaa* LmI A (p) t9 95 [ ] Tha Fr***ch Mnim i.v.i B (d tfl Q ■ Th* Gvm*r, Mlfl Laval A 0 T9 95 □ Th* Omm M«l«r L«vat B @1 f 9 95 Q I Th* Spflntth T ut« Caval A ^ (t ti ] Tha Spuv** Tutor Laval B f* 19 95
! Hr Mrs/fDn . . .
I - - - - - Postcode
| I enclose a cheque pocuJ order vik* L
payable to Kosmoj Software
A5
PCN FEBRUARY 11 1W4
rMICROTANIC COMPUTER SYSTEMS LTD.
MICRDTAN 65 #° or#*# computer# as pb&mau
For ImttlM f60 you Cift Mart huililiny your W» Compute! rhai truly ivlt ycnji <wfdi and of a>u<sr ?*»nluj|y tai more SaOMK* to d ny Compute* ^wjuMh**' tslf the shelf
MICRO! Ah 6S in hit l(»m. c cimpii-ri* »i(ft minuil. lull
instructions, board wdh component* i M form or Miy builtl □of lull back up Hon. and your 0*i> M* rofan World Magazine available cm lutacripin^
FLEXIBLE a EXPANDABLE SYSTEM - 1 K to 256K!
Just took af rft» options.
7 MASS EPROM STORAGE BOARD & INDUSTRIAL CONTROLLER BOARD 9 4 OH RAM BOARD
10 HIGH RES GRAPHICS 256«?56
1 1 PRIMER FACE BOARD
12 ASCII KEYBOARD
1 DISK CONTROLLER
2 REAL TIME CLOCK
3 EPROM PROG CARO
4 SOUND BOARD
5 SERIAL 1/0 BOARD
6 PARALLEL 1/0 BOARD
Board »i1h l cmi&fHUMH s
FULL RANGE OF SOFTWARE
Languages available Machine Code. Assembly Base. Forth
******
BUILD
AS FAST
OR SLOW
AS YOU
LIKE'
WrCfor an World Magazine
HOW TO ORDER:
Enter details m the coupon below enclosing your cheque made payable io MicrolaoiC Corn- Outer System* Lid Prices include VAT add C 1 50 p4p Pnau allow 1 4 Oa ya tbr delivery _ _
I Poll Id
MICROTANlC COMPUTE R SYSTEMS LTD TE UPLAND RD LONDON SE?2 Tel No Q16S3 1 137 Ahh ruih ate my iiirtir in
Q kii lorm — I *»n build myaell CSS 95 D Folly Built C89 55
D Complele system wan chad l e rre rose my cheque/ P 0 tot C Name Company
Address
MICROTAN COMPUTER SYSTEMS LTD
SHOWFOOM 16 UPLAND RD MAILORDER
DULWICH LONDON SE22 235 FRlfRN Rp DULWICH
TEL 01 €93 1 137 LONDON SE2 2
Also ararJabte from
Waltham Fores! Com pul d r C*ntH
669 Lee Bridge Rd
N* Whippa Cross, Wairnamsiciw E7
Tel 01*520 7747
Tel i Day!
Tel (Eve i
SUPA CATCH A TROOPA
GOLF
SUPA CATCHA TROOPA
Q« aitounded by the superb hi res graphics, the lie levels t>l play and amazing sound*. Destined to be one Of the most sought after games this Or i ii mat.
GOLF
We created it lor the Spectrum, no* also available Tor the 64. An ■extremely realistic challenging and turn experience. The authentic computer golf,, addictive whether or not you' play the outdoor game.
Call *n at your local stockist or contact us now for these and the rest of Our range on the Vic-20, Commodore 84. Spectrum and Dragon,
Abrasco Ltd., The Grange Barn, Pikes End, EaltCOtt. Midd*. HAS 7EX. T*I, 01 666 2518.
PCS FEBRUARY JJ l**84
|
730-750 |
Routi ne u sed if you take too long over your go. |
|
760-763 |
Move the track |
|
780 |
Does the track collide witha diamond? |
|
805 |
If yes then bon us points. |
|
810 |
If no , t hen does the track collide with an obstacle. |
|
830 |
If yes then end game. |
|
360 |
If the number of diamonds col lected eq ua l s the nu mber |
290 PLOT 3,0,-200
300 PRINT @ 50, 1035 CKR* (24) | "GRIDTRAP"; CHR* (25) ;
310 INK GREEN
320 PRINT H 9,213; "GRID"? , H 97, 213; "SC ORE";
330 INK YELLOW
340 PRINT @ 12, 225; G; " @ 98,225?
SU If II ■
? 5
350 ENDF'ROC
360 DEFPRQC SETUP
370 FDR A- 1 TO 20+0*4
380 LET 1=^10* (RAND (15) +2) , c=l 0* (RAND (2 O) +2)
390 PRINT @ c/2-1, 1-5; CHR* (1 ) ; CHR$ (2) ^ ;CHR*(129);
BEEP 70,80.60 NEXT A
LET 010*<RAND<;
!3>+l > ,L=10*(RAND(18)
400 410 420 + 1 )
430 PRINT @ C/2“1,L-5;CHRS(1) ?CHR4 <6) ;C HR* (130) ;
440 MOVE C, L 450 INK 4
460 FOR A=1 TO 2G+G*4
470 9 ) + 1 ) 480 490 500 510 520 530 540 550 560 570 580 590 600 610 620 630 640 650
LET c = 10* (RAND ( 24 > + l ) , 1=10* (RAND ( 1
LET a=a*32+c DIV 8 LET b^2**(7^c J1QD Qt CALL &007G, ScCOOO+a LET d-SGN (HL BNAND ta)
CALL &0069,$rCQ0Q+a LET d=d+5GN (HL BNAND b)
IF d >0 THEN GOTO 470 PRINT £ c/2-1, 1-55CHR< (128) S BEEP 100,90,60 NEXT A ENDPROC DEFPROC GAME
FOR A= 1 00 TO 200 STEP 10 BEEP A, 50, 60 NEXT A LET N=0 INK RED
PRINT @ 97,225SCHR* (i) ; CHE* (6) SS; " ";CHR* Cl> ;CHR*(2) ;
660 BEEP 110,120,45 670 LET T— 1 680 REPEAT 700 LET T=T+t
705 LET M= I NF‘ < ScOOSO > , □= I NF ( &0980 )
710 UNTIL T > J OR ( { (M=239 DR M=223> OR ( 0=251 OR 0=223) ) AND (NOT (M< >255 AND Q< > 255) ) )
720 IF T<a THEN GOTO 760 730 BEEP 120,90,50
PCN FEBRUARY L11YK4
PCN PROGRAMS: LYNX48K
PCN PROGRAMS: L YNX48K
PCN PROGRAMS: LYNX48K
|
890 |
of diamondson thegndand the score is greater t h an zero 1 hen do the nextgrid PROCGRAPHICS, define |
|
930 |
characters 1 28 to 1 30. PROC GRIDCLEAR |
|
980- 1 020 |
Scroll the screen |
|
1030-1040 |
horizontally. Return 1 he screen to normal . |
|
1050 |
Increase the grid number. |
|
1060 |
Decrease the |
|
* ■* |
movement time li mi t V V i |
|
Tf* |
Gllll) THAI*
740 LET S=S-20*G 750 GOTO £.50
760 IF M=239 THEN LET L=L-1Q
761 ELSE IF M=223 THEN LET L=L+10
762 IF 0=251 THEN LET C=C-10
763 ELSE IF 0=223 THEN LET C=C+10 770 LET Q=2**<7-C MOD B)
7B0 CALL 50070, 5C000+L*32+C DIV B 790 LET Z=SGN(HL BNAND Q3>
800 IF Z=Q THEN GOTO 810 805 LET S=S+10,N=N+1 807 GOTO 840
810 CALL 50069, 5C000+L*32+C DIV 8 820 LET Y=SGN(HL BNAND Q)
830 IF Y=1 THEN PROC ENDGAMEF 840 LET S=S"*-1
850 DRAW C,L
860 IF N=20+G*4 AND S>0 THEN PROC GRIDC LEAR
870 GOTO 650 880 ENDPROC 890 DEFPROC GRAPHICS
900 CODE 00 00 OC IE 3F 3F IE OC 00 00 00 00 3F OC 3F 3F OC 3F 00 00 00 FF FF F F FF FF FF FF FF GO 910 DPOKE GRAPHIC, LCTNC900)
920 ENDPROC 930 DEFPROC GRIDCLEAR 940 DRAW C, L
950 FOR W=400 TO 180 STEP -15 960 BEEP W, 40, 60 970 NEXT W 980 FOR F— O TO 31 990 OUT 50086, 13 1000 OUT 5-0087, F 1010 BEEP 100-F, 100,60 1020 NEXT F 1030 OUT 5:0086,13 1040 OUT 5:0087,0 1050 LET G=G+ 1
1060 IF J>100 THEN LET J=J-50 1070 CLS 1080 PROC INIT 1090 PROC SETUP 1100 F'ROC GAME 1 1 10 ENDPROC 1120 DEFPROC ENDGAMEF 1130 FOR K=0 TO 20 1140 LET Y=RAND < 30 > + 1 1150 OUT 50086,13 1160 OUT 50087, Y 1170 BEEP 120-Y, 120,60 1180 NEXT K 1190 OUT 5.0086,13 1200 OUT 50087,0
1220 PRINT @ 50, 35; CHR* (24) : CHR* ( 1 ) 5 CHR
fCH FEBRUARY 11 IW4
Albertron ^ r Birdcraft from the skies!
SAVE YOUR PLANET!
L Spectaim 48K
compatible Full colour '
^ *VVt ^
■F You
^F ,r< - nitcnecl^H
^F against the evil F enemy who are set ^ to destroy your race. Multiple levels of fast action bring you to the command ^ centre of the Battle A Fleet, can you finish the
frts®1
IHf VVTf j I
THUNDERHAWK(48K Spectrum) — ^ Golf (48 K Spectrum)
Voyager (VIC 20, 8 or 16K)
Liberator (16K48K Spectrum)
Picture Puzzle (Dragon 32)
Riddle of the Sphinx (VIC 20, 8 or 16K] Android Invaders (Dragon 32)
Bird of Prey (Basic VIC 20)
Hopping Mad (VIC 20, 3.5K ExdO
all at
£5.95
each
P/ease debit my Access Barcfaycard (delete os necessary}
CARD NUMBER
/ enclose cheque P.O. for£_ Name _
Address .
LYVERSOFT, 66 LIME ST., LIVERPOOL LI 1JN Tel: 051-708 7100
PCN PROGRAMS: LYNX48K
PCN PROGRAMS: LYNX 48K
|
1080 |
Replay the game |
|
1120 |
PROCENDGAMEF |
|
1 130 |
Randomly d i s p 1 ace t he screenhonzontally |
|
1 1 90* 1 200 |
Resel the screen |
|
1220-1260 |
End messages. |
|
1290 |
Play again? |
|
1310 |
Reinitialise the variables |
|
1330 |
Replay |
|
1350-1480 |
PROC INSTRUCTIONS display the instructions screen |
% < 6 ) ! "GRIDTRAP" ;
1230 PRINT Q 45, 45; CHR* ( 1 ) ; CHR* <2) ; CHR* (2) ;CHR* (0) ! " GAME OVER ”;CHR*(25);
1240 PRINT d! 30, 207; CHR* ( 1 ) ; CHR* (6) ; "YO U CLEARED " ; G-1S " GRID" ; CHR* <83*N0T <G-1 = 1 ) > ;
1250 PRINT H 24,217! "AND SCORED ";S;" P DINTS";
1260 PRINT @ 1S,238J "'Y* TO PLAY AGAIN - ’N’ TD END";
1270 LET I *=GET*
1280 IF I *=" Y" OR I*-"y" THEN GOTO 1310 1290 IF NOT ( I *= "N" OR I*= "n" ) THEN GOTO 1270
1300 END
1310 LET S=0,G=1, J*300 1320 CLS 1330 GOTO 60 1340 ENDPROC
1350 DEFPROC INSTRUCTIONS 1360 PAPER O 1370 CLS
1380 PRI NT df 50, 0; CHR* < 1 ) ; CHR* (2) ; CHR* < 24 ) ; " GR I DTRAP " ; CHR* ( 25 ) ;
1390 PRINT @ 44,26;CHR*(1 ) JCHR*<6> ; "INS TRUCT I ONS " j CHR* < 1 ) ;CHR*<4> ; CHR* (10)
1400 PRINT ;CHR*<1 ) ;CHR*<4) ; "Your base, represented by the yell ow square, i s situated on the -first o-f the " ;CHR*<1>;C HR* (2) ! "GRIDTRAPS" ; CHR* (11; CHR* (4) ; " . T o escape -from the grid you have to move around the grid collecting the ";
1410 PRINT "green diamonds < " S CHR* ( 1 > ; CH R* (4) ; CHR* ( 128) ; " ) whilst avoiding the
fl i 9
1420 PRINT "red obstacles < M ; CHR* ( 1 > ; CHR * *2) ;C HRS C 129) fCHR* < 1 > ; CHRS (4) * " ) * If yo u cross your own trai 1 or hit on obstacl & you will never escape from the " 5 CHRS Cl) ; CHRS C 2 > ? “GRIDTRAP** ; CHRS ( 1 ) ; CHR* (5)
1 430 PR I NT CHRS < 1) ; CHRS < 5 ) ; 11 You move using the cursor keys. When all the diam ends on a particular grid have been co 1 1 acted you progress to the next one. Ea ch successive grid has more diamonds to collect and also " ;
1440 PRINT “more obstacles*"
1450 PRINT CHRS i 1 ) ; CHRS (2) ; "EE WARNED11 You have a limited time in which to mov e! if you fail to move in the alloted time you lose points. Also* you cannot m ove onto the next grid with a negative s core. 11
1 460 PR INI @ 26 * 24 1 S CHRS < 1 > ? CHRS ( 7 > ; "PR ESS ANY KEY TO START";
1470 LET If -GETS 1490 ENDPROC
7(1
PCN FEBRUAR Y 1 1 I9JW
If you have been waiting for printer
prices to fall -THE WAIT IS OVER !!
SO cols, SO cps,
frlction/trjctor feed, parallel interface
- FOR USE WITH POPULAR MICRO'S INCLUDING BBC, IBM etc.
SHINWA CTI CP80 IDEAL FOR
SCREEN DUMPS AND PROGRAM LISTING
The most popular 80 CPS Matrix Printer available 1 Designed to be Epson compatible, with all the same features.
* FRICTION & TRACTOR AS STANDARD
* 80 CPS * BI-DIRECTIONAL, LOGIC SEEKING * TRUE DESCENDERS
* HI- RES BIT IMAGE + BLOCK GRAPHIC PRINTOUT MODES * SUB & SUPER SCRIPTS
* ITALIC PRINTING * A UTO UNDERLINING
* CONDENSED AND EMPHASISED PRINTING
* EXPANDED AND DOUBLE STRIKE PRINTING
* COMPA CT LIGHTWEIGHT DESIGN
DAISYSTEP 2000
IDEAL FOR QUALITY PRINTOUT A new low cost, low noise, fully featured Daisywheel Printer.
* WORDSTAR COM PA TIBLE * QUME COM PA TIBLE RIBBONS AND DAISYWHEELS * 20 CPS MAXIMUM * W, 12t AND 15 CHARACTERS PER INCH * PLA TEN LENGTH; IS" * INTERFACE: PARALLEL — CENTRONICS, OPTIONAL RS232 * WEIGHT; 9.5 kg.
Telephone Credit Card Orders welcome. Personal Collection welcome, Monday to Saturday - 9.00 am until 7.00 pm.
*Up to £1000 Instant Credit available, full written details on application. Repayments quo led are correct at time of going to press.
To: Keyaki Ltd, Enterprise House, 44 Terrace Road, WaltonKjn Thames, Surrey KT1 2 2SD
Pftase send
Shinwti CT CP SO printers at
£238.85 Inc. VAT 8 £10 Dei .
and/or
Daisy itep 2000 printers at
£342.35 inc. VAT 8 £10 Dei.
Address,
Postcode ,
Telephone . . . . „„„„„ . .
Tick box for details of Serial Interface options I 1 Tick box for details of Instant Credit up to £1000 f~1
Enterprise House, 44 Terrace Road, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, KT1 2 2SD Tel: 09322 42777
I enclose my cheque no. .............. . .....for £,
Please charge my A ccessj Barclay card Card No.
Signature.
PCM 3
TRADE & EDUCATIONAL ENQUIRIES WELCOME
Transform your Spectrum
a
V ?•
yA t
•1*4,''
*V*>A
St
\ ,/ the best selling Spectrum keyboard in
the U.K* The Fuller FD S M^RTard with its st \T^Wmm-line appearance gives you the look and feel of a real microcomputer keyboard and helps ymienter data with lightening fast accuracy*
The keyboard contains ail the graphic characters of your ZX Spectrum plus additional function keys* It has 4 cursor control keys, an auto rub-out key, a separate key for full stop and comma, a full length space bar, shift keys either side and 2 function keys for direct entry into green and red E modes.
The microdrive is easily adapted to go inside along with the power supply. Fixing is simplicity itself, no soldering or technical knowledge is required* For the user who is reluctant to install his Spectrum circuit board inside the FDS, a buffer is available (£8*75 + 80p p&p) A f
which simply plugs into the expansion port and connects directly to the
FDS Keyboard, allowing the whole cased Spectrum to be installed inside* ^ +£2*sop&p
fuller Micro Systems
The ZX Centre, 71 Dale Street*
Liverpool 2. Tel: 051 236 6109
|
1 Please supply me with FDS Keyboardist. 1 l endow a cheque PO payabl e to 1 Fuller Micro Systems foe . or debit my credit card l rjriH ur. 1 1 [ I M 1 II It 1 1 1 1! H 1 Bdrclaycard |
|
|
□Access Card Signature . |
|
|
V-iri |
|
|
1 Address . . . . |
|
|
n^rftcd % iiijU |
Fuller Micro Systems, The IX CentTe. 1 7i Dale Street. Liverpool l Tel: 05 1 21 6 6100 |
This week PCN Databases lists a selection oi add-ons for your micro PCN keeps you up to date m three- week cycles, listing peripherals, then software, followed by micros.
Printers are best categorised by prim head type The two most common methods oi transferring type to paper are the Dot matrix and Daisywheel techniques.
A dot matrix pnnter uses a row of pins which are programmed to strike the paper through a ribbon and form the character as a pattern of dots
The daisywheel acts more like a conventional typewriter, the character set being preformed on a wheel with eatfi character on a separate spoke As the interchangeable wheel rotates ii is struck by a hammer to form the character impression.
Doi matrix printers tend to be faster than daisywheel but offer lower print quality.
In selecting a printer make sure the interface on your computer is compatible with those available as standard or at extra cost on the printer
The# sign means the interface is Included in the price; O means you have a choice of interfaces included in the price: + means the interface will cost extra
Max Baud rate indicates the approximate characters-per-second rate as they are fed into the printer.
The buffer stores characters sent by the computer The printer can take characters in chunks, at a rate quicker than they are able to be printed, sometimes allowing the computer to be freed for further use.
Lines per inch indicates the maximum number of lines printed in a vertical inch. Characters per inch can be varied on some printers as the typesizes themselves can be adjusted
Maximum print speed as indicated by the manufacturer tends to be a little optimistic. Maximum print positions tells you the optimum number of characters that can be printed in one line by the smallest character size on the printer Maximum paper width is the widest paper the printer can take Sii# represents the space the printer takes up on a desk top The weight of the printer is given in kilogrammes Maximum copies indicates the number of carbon copies that can realistically be produced at one time Underlining puts a line under characters while bold type thickens the characters to make them stand out True descenders indicates that the print method allows for fully formed tails on letters such as p.g or q
Pro po rtiona I s pac Ing puts the same space between characters whether they are a long m or a short i Block graphics builds up pictures using rectangular blocks, while High Resolution Graphics uses smaller dots Bidirectional means the printer can save time by printing left to right and then doing the next line backwards right to left Similarly. Logic Seeking enables the machine to save more time by printing ihe short lines without sweeping over the whole width of the page Feed methods comprise fanfold which uses continuous stationery sheets folded road-map style drawn into ihe printer by a tractor mechanism The tractor cog fils into holes in the fanfold paper and lakes (he paper past the printer mechanism Roll is a roll ol paper that feeds into the printer, usually using f riel ion feed where the paper is gripped between two rollers, typewriter- style. Cut sheet indicates the printer uses single sheets like a typewriter.
D tetri tuto r t o find which company distributes a particular add -on , use the code listed in this column to refer to the distributor table The table is at the end of the listings, and gives the distributor's name and telephone number.
|
PERIPHERALS |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
- - ii |
fl |
INTERFACES • me m price Dpl'D^S el extra cost (+} |
5 s-s M If |
f i i |
f | |
i§ J1 |
II 5 g 3 £ |
f }f |
i % l tl |
tf f £ |
I Z a |
I 1 |
I |
i |
* I |
1 43 1 |
I ii |
1 MM |
i i |
|||||||||||||
|
I i |
1 |
I |
U |
I |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
{ li |
i |
is li |
• |
i 1 i |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
PRINTERS |
. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Adler TRD 170 |
£833 |
Daisywheel |
• |
9600 |
256 |
6.6 |
10.12.15 |
17 |
19B |
15.5 |
56x37 |
13 |
□uOUUll |
□□□ |
LAUJ |
T2 |
||||||||||||||||
|
A/iade»DP9000A |
£1,397 |
M 7x9. 9*9 |
• |
• |
9600 |
2700 |
6.6 |
10.12 5,15.167 |
200 |
106 |
95 |
40 9*57 |
136 |
6 |
LJ |
□ |
9 |
□ |
□□□ |
■ |
u |
11 |
||||||||||
|
Anadex DP 9001 A |
£1.397 |
M 7x9. 11*9 |
9 |
• |
9600 |
2700 |
6.6 |
10.12 5,15,16 7 |
200 |
132 |
95 |
40 9*57 |
136 |
6 |
□ |
i* |
9 |
■ |
□□□ |
□ |
11 |
|||||||||||
|
Anadex DP 9500A |
£1.397 |
M 7*9. 9*9. 13 - 9 |
9 |
• |
9600 |
2700 |
6.6 |
10.12.13 3 |
200 |
176 |
15,5 |
40 9x703 |
18 |
6 |
□ |
□ |
9 |
• |
□□□ |
□ |
11 |
|||||||||||
|
Anadex DP 950 1 A |
£1.397 |
M 7x9, 11*9 |
9 |
• |
9600 |
2700 |
66 |
10.12 5.15.16 7 |
200 |
220 |
155 |
40 9 x 70 3 |
16 |
6 |
□ |
• |
9 |
• |
□□□ |
□ |
11 |
|||||||||||
|
Anadex DP 9620A |
Cl 409 |
M 7* 9.9 *9.13* 9 |
• |
9600 |
1500 |
6 6 |
10.12.15.164 |
200 |
216 |
155 |
40 9*703 |
16 |
6 |
□ |
9 |
9 |
• |
□□□ |
□ |
11 |
||||||||||||
|
Anadex WP 6000 |
£2,6 16 |
M up to 18x20 |
• |
19200 |
4500 |
6,6.12.16 |
10,12.16 7 |
285 |
220 |
15 5 |
46 7x74 9 |
25 |
6 |
C |
9 |
9 |
• |
• |
□□□ |
■ |
□ |
□ |
• |
M |
||||||||
|
ASP 3500 |
£977 |
M 9*7. 9x9 |
9600 |
00 |
6,0 |
10.12,165 |
180 |
217 |
14 |
61 5x40,5 |
19 |
6 |
□ |
9 |
9 |
• |
□ |
□□□ |
■ |
Ml |
||||||||||||
|
Brother EP22 |
£170 |
M 7 x 5 |
• |
300 |
N A |
6,4.3 |
10 |
17 |
75 |
BU |
31 5 x 23 7 |
2 4 |
■ |
■ |
■ |
■ |
L |
p_ 5 |
■ |
J1 |
||||||||||||
|
Brother HR15 |
£512 |
Daisywheel |
• |
9 |
9 |
9600 |
3000 |
64.3 |
15.12.10 |
13 |
165 |
13 |
464 x 33 |
89 |
T |
□ |
9 |
9 |
9 |
□□□ |
■ |
u |
□ |
J1 |
||||||||
|
Brother HRI |
£747 |
Daisywheel |
9600 |
2000 |
4,5,6 |
10,12.15 |
35 |
198 |
165 |
38 1x71 2 |
16 |
8 |
■ |
9 |
L |
■ |
Jt |
|||||||||||||||
|
Canon AP400 |
El. 140 |
Daisywheel |
* |
9 |
i |
19200 |
4000 |
4.6.6 |
10,12,15 |
25 |
197 |
15.5 |
50 6 * 46 2 |
16 5 |
6 |
□ |
9 |
9~ |
9 |
• |
□□□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
D1 |
|||||||
|
Centronics 1 59 4 |
£962 |
M 9 x 7 |
9 |
9600 |
768 |
6 |
5.8 16 10,16 36 |
ISO |
BO |
10 |
38*356 |
10 |
5 |
■ |
□□□ |
■ |
□ |
B1 |
||||||||||||||
|
Centronics 1 50 4 |
£662 |
M 9 x 7 |
9 |
T |
9600 |
768 |
6,8 |
10,12.16 36 |
150 |
132 |
95 |
38 1x35 5 |
9,1 |
3 |
□ |
■ |
9 |
9 |
□ |
□ |
R1 |
|||||||||||
|
Centronics 152 4 |
£769 |
M 9*7 |
9 |
V |
9600 |
708 |
6.8 |
10.12.16 5 |
150 |
217 |
95 |
38 1 * 35 5 |
9 1 |
3 |
□ |
9 |
9 |
uuu |
□ |
□ |
m |
|||||||||||
|
Centronics 154 |
£869 |
m 1 1 * e |
■ |
• ■ |
■ |
9 m |
■ |
■ |
9600 |
2000 |
6.9.12,18 |
5,10.165 |
' 120 |
132 |
15 |
52 6 * 37 1 |
13 |
S ■ |
if ■ |
£ ■ |
9 m |
m |
■ |
• ■ |
uuu |
l_ ■ |
■ |
If ■ |
■ |
Cl |
|
Hike & Modfi |
i! |
f a i: |
INTERFACES • me in jxiw ' options, at extra cost i> } |
— |
3 11 ii |
f £ | |
S l S 3 |
11 |
H |
f If it |
1 iteseirumcmst 1 |
t! |
■ 1 3 |
■ s |
■ Ii |
■ ) |
■ i 1 |
■ I |
■ 5 a S 1 i |
■ i § a £ |
■ I | |
f ted Mtirwd |
prt |
|||||||||
|
I U |
i |
I 3 |
1 ft | |
J |
1 i |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
3 |
i 1 |
1 |
1 |
« ± II |
S I 1 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
PRINTERS |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Centronics 1 59 2 |
£861 |
M 9x7 |
• |
N A |
766 |
6 |
5.8 18,10.16 36 |
150 |
132 |
10 |
38 1x356 |
10 |
S |
• |
□ |
□ |
□ |
Bt |
||||||||||||||
|
Centronics 35 1 |
£1.891 |
M 7x9 |
• |
• |
19200 |
2000 |
6.8 |
5.6.6 25,10.12,16 5 |
200 |
192 |
15 |
457x559 |
18 |
V |
• |
• |
• |
* |
• |
□ |
D |
• |
• |
BT |
||||||||
|
Centronics 352 |
£1.966 |
M 7x6 |
• |
• |
19200 |
2000 |
6.8 |
5 6 7 5 8 25.13 2,15 16 5 |
200 |
218 |
145 |
559x45 7 |
18 1 |
6 |
* |
l |
• |
• |
9 |
• |
• |
C1 |
||||||||||
|
Centronics 353 |
£2.420 |
M 7x6 |
• |
19200 |
4000 |
3.4,6,8.12 |
10,12.13 2.15.16 5 |
200 |
218 |
15 |
559 x 45 7 |
18 1 |
6 |
# |
V |
• |
m |
• |
9 |
• |
CT |
|||||||||||
|
rOentronics 739 2 |
£710 |
M 1 1 m9 |
• |
2200 |
132 |
6 |
5,8 3,10.16 7 |
100 |
132 |
9 |
368x279 |
54 |
5 |
• |
A |
• |
— |
— |
9 |
9 |
• |
Cl |
||||||||||
|
Centronics 739 4 |
£786 |
M 1 1 m9 |
• |
9600 |
512 |
6 |
5.8 3,10.16 7 |
100 |
132 |
36 8 x 40 6 |
7.2 |
5 |
# |
J |
A |
• |
# |
9 |
• |
Cl |
||||||||||||
|
Commodore 4022P |
£454 |
M6*7 |
• |
ZLL |
N A |
M A |
2 |
510 |
40 |
80 |
10 |
36 8 x 33 |
99 |
3 |
• • |
A |
^9 |
• |
9 |
C2 |
||||||||||||
|
Commodore 8023 |
£1,029 |
M 5xfl |
# |
HA |
HA |
2 |
5. 10 |
150 |
250 |
15 |
51 4x368 |
116 | |
A |
• |
• 9 |
i |
9 |
* |
9 |
• |
||||||||||||
|
Data Products DP55 |
£1,667 |
Daisywheel |
_ |
_ |
2 |
9600 |
1000 |
68 |
10 12.15 |
55 |
196 |
15 |
444x604 |
24 |
: 6 |
' • |
• |
# |
• |
• |
9 |
9 |
A |
* |
9 |
• |
S 1 |
|||||
|
Data Products Ml 00 Data Products M20G |
£1,790 £1,979 |
M9 x 9 M 7x7 |
— |
■f |
— |
— - |
r |
H A HA |
N A HA |
6.8 6 8 |
5,8,10.16 5 5,10 6.16 7 |
140 340 |
218 340 |
16 16 |
67.5x59.4 67 5x59 4 |
27 27 |
6 6 | |
'm |
• • |
• |
A • |
# • |
• + |
• 9 ' |
9 A |
J |
— |
• • |
— |
Si SI |
||
|
Data South DS18G |
£1 604 |
M9x7 |
• |
i |
9600 |
2000 |
6 8 |
5 6 6 25. 10. 12.16 5 |
180 |
217 |
155 |
60 9 x 40 6 |
16 |
6 |
9 |
• |
• |
• |
9 |
• |
• |
• |
02 |
|||||||||
|
Diablo $P1 P11 |
£2 127 |
Daisywheel |
9600 |
256 |
6,8 |
10.15 |
40 |
196 |
16 |
569x463 |
27 2 |
6 |
• i |
9 i |
9 |
• |
9 |
• |
• |
M2 |
||||||||||||
|
Diablo 630 |
£2,127 |
Daisywheel |
9600 |
768 |
6.8.12 |
10.12.15 |
40 |
196 |
16 5 |
56 9 x 46 3 |
27 |
6 |
• |
T |
9 |
• |
9 |
• |
• |
• |
M2 |
|||||||||||
|
DMPtOO |
£249 |
M 5x7 |
1200 |
2000 |
6.6 |
105 |
50 |
80 |
95 |
40 6 x 20 9 |
39 |
!~| |
• |
9 |
m |
A |
T |
• |
• |
Tl |
||||||||||||
|
DMP200 |
£499 |
M9x23 |
1200 |
2000 |
6.6 |
10 |
120 |
120 |
95 |
41 9x343 |
7 5 |
3 |
• ' |
• |
• |
• |
• |
m |
V |
A |
• |
9 |
• |
Tl |
||||||||
|
DMP400 |
£699 |
M 7x9. 9x9 |
1200 |
2000 |
66 |
10.12.167 |
140 |
220 |
15 |
61 9x40 4 |
19 |
5 | |
• ' |
• |
• |
• |
m |
9 |
• |
• |
Tl |
|||||||||||
|
DMP500 |
£1.099 |
M23-9 |
9600 |
2000 |
6-6 |
10.12.167 |
220 |
220 |
15 |
58 4x33 |
127 |
T| |
* |
• |
• |
• |
• |
• |
9 |
# |
9 |
Tl |
||||||||||
|
DMP2TQ0 |
£1.399 |
Mi |
♦ |
1200 |
2000 |
6,6.12 |
10.12.166 |
160 |
232 |
15 |
55 2 x 38 1 |
20 |
8 |
V |
• |
• |
• |
• |
• |
9 |
• |
9 |
Tl |
|||||||||
|
DRE 6820 |
£095 |
M 9x7 |
9600 |
500 |
6.6 |
10.12 5,15.16 7 |
150 |
266 |
15 5 |
64 7 x 47 6 |
23 |
5 | |
• |
• |
• |
IT |
9 |
• |
G1 |
|||||||||||||
|
DRE 6830 |
£1 300 |
M9x7 |
9600 |
500 |
6.8 |
10.12,133,15.17 |
130 |
226 |
15 5 |
64 7x47 6 |
23 |
][] |
* |
• |
• |
9 |
* |
‘ ■ ' ^ |
||||||||||||||
|
DRE 6840 |
£1 370 |
M9x7 |
9600 |
500 |
6.8 |
10.12.133,15.17 |
240 |
226 |
15 5 |
64 7x47 6 |
23 |
5 |
• ' |
• |
• |
# |
G? |
|||||||||||||||
|
DRE 6925 |
£1660 |
M 12x8, 12x20 |
9600 |
500 |
6 8 |
10.12.15,16 7 |
120 |
226 |
15 5 |
64 7 x 47 6 |
23 |
T |
* |
m ' |
• |
• |
• |
• |
• |
Gi |
||||||||||||
|
DRH80 |
£621 |
M 7x9 |
9600 |
256 |
68 |
10.12 5,15,17 5 |
80 |
140 |
8 |
41 5x30 |
75 |
4 |
• |
* |
• ’ |
• |
* |
V |
® i |
# |
♦ |
9 |
• |
Tl |
||||||||
|
DRH 136 |
£776 |
M 7 x 9 |
9600 |
2000 |
68 |
10.12 15.16 5 |
120 |
224 |
155 |
48 6 x 30 3 |
10 5 |
3 |
• |
A |
A |
• |
# |
• |
« |
• |
9 |
* |
||||||||||
|
OHS 250 |
£1,431 |
M 7x9 |
19200 |
512 |
\ *8 |
10 12,15 |
250 |
198 |
6 |
61 x45 |
25 |
5 |
• |
• |
A |
• |
A |
9 |
9 |
• |
Tl |
|||||||||||
|
DWP410 |
£995 |
Daisywheel |
# |
_ |
„ |
9600 |
2000 |
6.8 |
10.12 |
25 |
160 |
16 |
60 3x196 |
16 |
• |
: |
l |
. * |
. |
'9 |
'9 |
9' |
# |
* |
• |
Tl |
||||||
|
Epson HX BO FT Epson RXBO |
£366 £320 |
M M |
• • |
— |
• |
# ' • |
9 m |
19200 19200 |
256 256 |
6.8,1 0 3 6.8.103 |
10.12.17,5.6.6 5 10 12.17,5685 |
100 100 |
60 80 |
10 10 |
38 9 x 30 3 30 9 x 30 3 |
5 1 5 1 |
3 T |
# • |
:: |
V |
— |
# • |
• • |
9 ~9 |
• • |
| |
V |
• |
• • |
• |
El El |
|
|
Epson FX 80 |
£503 |
M |
• |
• |
r§ |
• |
19200 |
300 |
6 |
10.12.17.5.6.8 5 |
160 |
80 |
10 |
42 x 34 7 |
75 |
A |
•. |
• |
• |
• |
9 |
• |
#1 |
• |
• |
□ |
• |
El |
||||
|
Epson MX -100 III |
£546 |
M |
m |
• |
• |
• |
19200 |
256 |
6.8 |
10 |
100 |
136 |
15V* |
592x393 |
10 |
3 |
• ' |
9 ] |
• |
'9 |
'9 |
•i |
• |
• |
□ |
• — |
El 1 ' |
|||||
|
Epson FX-100 |
£654 |
M |
m |
• |
• |
19200 |
" 300 1 |
6 |
10.12,17.5.6.85 |
80 |
132 |
16 |
hi 5-35 4 |
10 5 |
3 |
• |
• ' |
• |
• |
* |
9 |
* |
9 |
□ |
||||||||
|
Epson MXSO |
£401 |
M 9 ■ 9 |
i |
192001 |
256 |
8.8 |
5,8 25.10.16 5 |
BO |
132 |
10 |
406x38 1 |
55 |
3 |
• |
• |
• |
• |
9 |
□ |
El |
||||||||||||
|
Epson MX80 FTT 3 |
£447 |
M 9x9 |
* |
i |
19200 |
256 |
6,6 |
5.8 25.10,16 5 |
00 |
132 |
10 |
406x38 1 |
77 |
Tj |
• |
* |
A |
« |
• |
• |
9 |
□ |
El |
|||||||||
|
Epson MX82 |
£546 |
M 9x9 |
.0 |
i |
19200 |
256 |
8 |
17 2 |
80 |
159 |
10 |
406x38 1 |
7.7 |
~T |
• |
* |
• |
• |
* |
9 |
T |
A" |
A |
• |
El |
|||||||
|
Epson MX 1 0OFT 3 |
£574 |
M |
~+] |
+ ' |
i |
19200 |
256 |
8 |
16 5 |
100 |
233 |
155 |
59 7 x 40 |
10 |
A |
• |
• ' |
• |
'9 |
m |
9 |
A |
A |
> |
El |
|||||||
|
Facii 4510 |
£672 |
M9x7 |
9600 |
712 |
6,8 |
6,12.16.175 |
LAA |
| 132 |
11 5 |
42 5x34 8 |
9 |
5 i |
• ' |
• |
• 1 |
V |
9 |
* |
• |
- |
||||||||||||
|
Facil 4525 |
£1,150 |
M 9«9 |
9600 |
512 |
68 |
5.8 5 10 17 |
1 280 |
[132 |
115 |
465x356 |
13 5 |
A |
'• ' |
• |
• ' |
• |
* |
A2 |
||||||||||||||
|
F acil 4&42 |
£2.300 |
M 9 x 1 4 |
* |
9600 |
BOO |
68 |
10 12 15 |
250 |
232 |
16 |
64 x 45 7 |
40 |
5 |
A |
• ' |
A |
• |
9 |
• |
• |
A2 |
|||||||||||
|
Fujitsu 630 |
£2.179 |
Daisywheel |
• |
• |
1200 |
256 |
36 8 |
10.12.15 |
f 80 |
204 |
IS |
59 7 x 44 9 |
18 |
6 |
!• |
• |
• |
9 |
• |
V |
• |
• |
Z1 |
|||||||||
|
General Elednc 2030 |
£961 |
M9x7 |
it |
1200 |
640 |
2.4 6 8,12 |
10.13 16 5 |
h 60 |
218 ' |
15 5 |
54 6x47 6 |
99 |
A |
y |
• |
9 |
9 |
9 |
• |
21 |
||||||||||||
|
General Elednc 2120 | £1,751 |
M9x7 |
it |
1200 |
640 |
2.4.6,8.12 |
10.13.16 5 |
I 1 50 |
21 8 1 |
15 5 |
54 6 x 47 6 |
99 |
• |
9 |
9 |
9 |
9 |
ti |
|||||||||||||||
|
I General Pnnter GP300 £2.267 |
M9x9 18x25 |
• |
2 |
19200 |
380 |
66 |
10,12.15 |
300 |
120 |
13 5 |
52x44 5 |
20 |
v |
9 |
• |
'• |
r |
• |
9 |
• |
• |
12 |
||||||||||
|
General Printer GP300L IhI FFh AC 1 |
£2.490 n ms |
M 9 x 9r 18x25 U Tflw 1 a |
— |
— |
2 |
19200 9600 |
380 2000 |
6.8 6 8 |
10.12,15 10.12,15 |
f 300 floo^ |
132 196 |
13 5 15 |
63 5*51 5 1 vflTfVi i nn |
24 22 |
A 6 |
# |
A 0 |
• |
A |
v |
^ ' |
• |
9 |
• |
• ft. |
12 1 17 l |
||||||
|
writes O' • Integra* |
£914 |
M 7 x5. 9x6 |
— |
• |
— |
N A |
37 |
68 |
10 |
f 125 |
80 |
10 |
38 7x32 5 |
96 |
1 |
— • |
A |
— ■ |
W |
W 9 |
W f ' |
|||||||||||
|
ITT SwiH 3342 |
£1,719 |
M 9x7 |
1200 |
640 |
\ 1 3.4 ,6,8.12 |
10,13.16 5 |
[ 150 |
240 |
155 |
56 x 47 | 10 4 |
6 |
9 |
V |
n: |
9 ' |
9 |
• |
• |
13 |
|||||||||||||
|
ITT Swallow |
| £914 ( M 9x7 |
LL |
I5TT |
1200 |
| 640 | 2 4 6 6 12 |
[ 10,13,16 5 |
1 60 1 240 |
| 15 5 | 56 x 47 | 10 |& |
• • |
lx: |
i* |
9 |
[•; |
• |
• |
13 |
BBC
MICROCOMPUTER
Modal 0 . .,,,,,,,
Model B Et Disk interface . .
Model B & Econet .
Model B & Econet B Disk
Interface .
Telelexl Receiver .
Official BBC Data Recorder Off icial J oysticks .
BBC UPGRADES
1-2 O S.„ .
Banc n
Disk Interface Kit .
£11 50 £3? 00
m 00
no oo
f45 00
ns oo
E COMET ACCESSORIES
E econet Interlace .
Clock So* (Inc . PSUK Terminal or Bon Hoc. PSUl
Printer Server Rom . £49 00
File Server Levetl £99 00
File Server Level 2 £249.00
10 Station Lead Set £29.00
1 0OM Econet Cable £99 0G
E conet System User Guide £10.00
DOT MATRIX PRIMTERS 5HINWA CP80
80 column, Inchon and ad|u$iabte tractor feed, bi directional logic seeding HI RES graphics and block graphics sub and super stnpis, condensed and emphasised print, and underlining vertical and horizontal tabs, self teat, italic print, etc Shmw* CP80 F T . £230
mammesmann
MTB0
High quality B0 column ser M dot math* printer. Dual density dot addressable graphics, quick tear facility as standard, optional sound reduction kit to give an impressive L55dBa acoustic noise rating Ability to handle both tractor fed fanfold
Special price of . , ,
EPSON
Epson FXBQ F T
£395
Epson RX30 F T
aos
Epson FX100 F T
£499
RITE MAIM MATRIX PRINTER
SLICK DESIGN EXCELLENT FEATURES.
SUPERB PRINT QUALITY
SO COLUM N F fi 1C TION AN D PIN F EE D 1 20 CPS 0i DIRECTIONAL HI RES AND BLOCK GRAPHICS 9x9 MATRIX TRUE DESCENDERS NORMAL, EXPANDED CONDENSED PRINTING EMPHASISED AND DOUBLE STRIKE PRINTING ITALICS PRINTING AUTO UNDERLINING subscript AND SUPERSCRIPTS INTERNATIONAL CHARACTER SETS EASY ACCESS DIPSWITCHES 1 1 HIGH RES (TRUE CIRCLES AND SQUARES I OPTIONAL TRACTOR UNIT OPTIONAL R5232C INTERFACE
£230
nek'
THE ULTIMATE MATRIX PRINTER AT UNBEATABLE PRICE
TRUE 160 CPS, °"rT
60 COLUMN UHfl PRINTER WITH 100%
DUTY CYCLE AND
UNBELIEVABLE FEATURES
160CPS B I DIRECTIONAL LOGIC SEEKING STANDARD SPOOL RIBBON UP TO 136 COLUMNS 5,6,8,10.12 and 17 CHARACTERS PER INCH DOWNLOADABLE CHARACTER SETS (UP TO 384 CHARACTERS AVAILABLE! MACRO INSTRUCTION SET PARALLEL AND SERIAL INTERFACE STANDARD STANDARD WITH 9 K BUFFER 240 CPS WHITE SPACE SPEED EMPHASISED AND DOUBLE STRIKE SUPER AND SUB SCRIPTS COLUMN SCAN BIT IMAGE GRAPHICS ITALICS FRICTION. TRACTOR AND BOLL HOLDER AS STANDARD DAISYWHEELS
i* STAR BARGAIN!
J,
“3
JUKI 6100
20 CPS max
113 CPS -
Shannon text!
10.12. 16 CPI and proportional spacing up to 220 characters per line. dialXO protocol* Bold, shadow printing and underlining.
2K Buffer Standard . f395
BROTHER HH15
■ 3 CPS 10. 12, 15 CPI and proportion dt spacing up to 16S characters per line, colour printing, shadow printing, super sub script, auto underlining, lext reprinting .
3K Buffer Standard
Brother HR1 5 . F395
Keyboard . . . ft 60
Sheet Feeder . £228
Tractor Unit EHJ9
MONITORS PHILIPS TP200 Green Monitor
You can use lh* W
Idlest Philips Green I I
Monitor for personal I I
computers, business computers, control
systems, automatic ’
test equipment. The picture quality of the TP20Q means not
only BO * 24 lines of AT T H E
mf or mation bu t also e Afl GAIN PRIC E
usage for high of
resolution graphics.
NOW AVA IL ABL E A>
BflC Official 1J ‘ GREEN MONITOR
RECOMMENDED BV DTI FOR SCHOOLS J EDUCATION AUTHORITIES & INDUSTRY SPECIAL CASING. HIGH RESOLUTION
14 " TV.- MONITOR raS
14J TV MONITOR
THh TV Monitor it net a
many TV Monteon ary but ■ 14* TV Momiur *1ach h*> been devgned to perform tnjiti Tyncuont r baa
RGB i
With filmntt Control
MICflOVITEC 14"
Cotour Monitors
Microvrtec 1431 14' Std Res.
£245
095
£495
WORD PROCESSING PACKAGE BBC Model B plus Disc Interface fitted view, V D U. Green Monitor Daisywheel Pnntei 200 K Dual Disk Drives and manual and formatting disk.
ONLY n .329 unci, afl cables!
TCL DRIVES AT NEW
LOW PRICES!
SUM DISK DRIVES
TEAC 5SA 5 S 40 TRACK
100K Single £165
200K Dual £330
TE AC 55 E S/S BO TRACK
200K Single £199
400K Dual £398
TEAC 55 F D $ 90 Track
400K Single £255
BOOK Dual £510
Power Supply Unit I Optional! (39
40 80 Switch . fB
MITSUBISHI DRIVES 400 K O S DO Single 045
Dual £435
ROM EXPANDER
Double your sideway Rom sockets, with i he TCL Rom expander.
Simple to install and very easy to use1 Manufactured using components of the highest quality'
Extremely reliable' . . £18 95
WORD PROCESSORS VtaW Word Piotmur fS9
Word Wiu Proceiaof rJ9
UTILITY SOFTWARE
Screen Dump Rom £17 26
For EPSON, &HINWA. NEC. STAR
NEW TCL MIC ROG U IDE S The KEY PLATES u> m«ke it any '
Mioegitaita KEV PLATES fit n«atfy over your ' computer kry» Gtvei you m easy to reed hat of commandi A%jhab*ttc*lly arranged lor irnmeAaie ecceu Pieced exactly where you requite * it pen of your computer keyboard The Keyplaita* made o< durable pia»Ttc ipace tor
function key note* Clear. w*m pen lot function keviftomiiv « yuoplwd t FREE ERROR MESSAGE BOOK ALL FOR QblLV ti »
SURE SHOT BOG Compatible KUK BTIK JOYSTICK SELF CENTRING Two Fir* flu Eton |
Single * £17 W Duel - £34
CABLES Drive Cable*
» b0 £13 50 fta SO
Serial £25
BBC Ceeeetie Leads £3
FLOPPY DISKS
Floppy DiiAi m packs ol Ip Smote rated *0 Tract Oouber Hied BO Ti*ci
TCL V IN Vi DUST COVERS
BBC
NOW AVAILABLE THE ACORN
ELECTRON ONLY Cl 99
£20
£3fi
£3 &0 f5 50 £4 SO
GRAFPAD
£ f 43 . ?5
Add new
dimensions io your
computer enjoyment Create
your own designs Amazing value.
Complete with Complete unit -
Utility programmes, simply plug in
|
BOOKS bbc Micro's lor Beginner's |
£6.96 |
|
Advanced Prog lech |
£7 95 |
|
ALP on BBC «A W i |
£7 95 |
|
A ss Lang tor BBC < Shiva l |
O 95 |
|
AL P i Macmillan] |
£8 95 |
|
Basic (Arnold! |
£5 95 |
|
Basic ' Mc‘i Mouse- 1 |
£6 95 |
|
Base Progs lo» BBC |
£5 95 |
|
Easy Progs tor Your BBC |
£6 95 |
|
Experl Guide |
£6 95 |
|
Functional Forth |
£5 95 |
|
Further Progs |
£5 95 |
|
Games BBC Computers Play |
£5 95 |
|
Games for Youi BBC |
£2 95 |
|
Graphics & Sound (Granadai |
re 95 |
|
In Education |
£5 50 |
|
Introducing the BBC Micro |
£5 95 |
|
Let Your BBC Teach You |
£6 95 |
|
Ad. f d U - . ; . f i z .95 |
£7 95
.rig thiL' BBC £8.80 ■■hji BBC to W« ■' I £4.95 Stiuciuiecl I " I'.r '■ 3 £6.50
£9.95 £5.96
30 Houi Basic 30 ♦ Progs 3 5 Educational Progs 36 Clwll«ntjing Games tor
eec
HobOd BSC (cassette!
Mobbai BBC i book i
Bramteasors tor BBC Best of PCW Software &BC Graphics on the BBC Disk Companion
0
£5 95 £4 95 £6 95
£5 95 £14 95 £5.95 (5 95
£6 95 £6 95
Twillstar Computers Limited
17 REGINA ROAD SOUTHALL' MIDDLESEX TEL (01) 574 5271
(OPEN SIX DAYS * WEEK - 10am to 8 pm)
* SERVICE CONTRACTS TO EDUCATION AUTHORITIES
AT DISCOUNT
* OFFICIAL ORDERS FROM DEALERS. GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, COLLEGES AND SCHOOLS WELCOME
* ALL PRICES INCLUSIVE OF VAT
HOW TO ORDER
You may purchase any of the items listed by cheque made payable to: TWILLSTAR COMPUTERS LTD . Bait layer d ot Access All ybu have to do is fill your requirements on a separate sheet of paper Post to us and we wil dispatch withm 24 hours subject to availability All prices inclusive oflS% VAT ADD £2.50 PfjP for orders below £150, OVER ADD £8 P&P
TELEPHONE ORDERS
fOU 574 5277
CREDIT CARD HOLDERS MAY ORDER
" e* telephone give card no NAME ADDRESS & ITEMS
required
SPECIAL OFFER!
BUY THREE TITLES AND TAKE A 5% DISCOUNT TELEPHONE ACCESS ORDERS WELCOME
JOIN OUR FREE MICRO USERS CLUB MONTHLY NEWSLETTER1 GENEROUS DISCOUNTS FOR MEMBERS! DETAILS WITH FIRST ORDER ATTENTION BBC OWNERS! HAVE YOU TRIED THE LATEST UTILITY PROGRAMS FROM G-SOFT SEE BELOW FOR DETAILS,
|
ASPECT ASSEMBLER |
BUG |
6 95 |
|
Fifth |
CRL |
9.95 |
|
UnLLSTHINGS |
CRY |
7 SO |
|
ROMM REVENGE |
CRY |
6.50 |
|
DUNGEON MASH R |
CRY |
7.S0 |
|
THE PYRAMID |
FAN |
S 50 |
|
THE QUILL |
GIL |
14 95 |
|
CYRUS IS CHESS |
INT |
9 9j |
|
VALHALLA |
LEG |
14 95 |
|
THL HOBBITT |
MEL |
14.95 |
|
lu MR Ml N |
MIR |
ft 95 |
|
QUICK THINKING |
MIR |
6 95 |
|
KONG |
OCE |
|
|
MR WIMPFY |
OCE |
5 9(1 |
|
SCRABBLE |
M |
15 99 |
|
FLIGHT SIM |
PSf |
7 95 |
|
MCUDER ]l |
PSS |
9 95 |
|
ATTC ATAC |
HIT |
5 SO |
|
LUNAR JFTM AN |
ULT |
5 SO |
|
IETWAC |
ULT |
3.50 |
PHIL QUEST MUSICJVNTH < HA R GENERATOR TEXT EDITOR MULTtBASE SHEEPDOG M MB! R RAl | V THE Ht JBBIT KILLER GORRJL A HUNCHBACK
I
ZORGOW REVENGE XENON l MF-TtOR PROG HUNCHBAfK LIGHT CYCLE
oric chess
USE OF DF. ATH ORK CAU OMC MON ORIC FOURTH
|
ACO |
9.93 |
SPRITE MAKER |
ENG |
6.95 |
|
BUG |
950 |
ARCADIA |
IMA |
5.S0 |
|
GSO |
995 |
CUDDLY BERT |
INT |
7 (11 |
|
G5C |
9 95 |
SIREN CITY |
INT |
7.00 |
|
GSO |
9.95 |
HQVVERBOVVER |
LLA |
730 |
|
LON |
995 |
GRIDRUNNFR |
LLA |
730 |
|
LON |
993 |
THE HOBBIT |
MEL |
14 95 |
|
MEL |
14.95 |
COMPILER |
MQG |
14 95 |
|
PRI |
T93 |
EASY TUTOR |
PSS |
9 95 |
|
SPR |
795 |
KRYS Of /UNO |
PSS |
795 |
|
uitisynth |
QU1 |
14 95 |
||
|
UK |
950 |
FAI4 ONPATROI. |
VI R |
6 95 |
|
UK |
B 50 |
KONG |
ANI |
793 |
|
MEL |
595 |
SKRAMB1 1 |
ANI |
7.95 |
|
OCE |
6.9U |
HEXPERT |
ANI |
7.93 |
|
PSS |
6.95 |
MOONBUUGY |
ANI |
7.95 |
|
TAN |
9 W |
GALAXY |
ANI |
7 95 |
|
TAN |
9.99 |
3D TIME TREK |
ANI |
595 |
|
TAN |
1430 |
GMASTERCHESS |
AUD |
1793 |
|
TAN |
15 00 |
HORACE SKHNG |
MEL |
5,95 |
|
TAN |
15 00 |
SF-MJ OftDbWS TO: SOFT TOUCH. K CLARE DRIVE. THRAPSTON NORTH ANTS. NNM 4TA. Phone [WU12 3404
THIS IS A TINY SELECTION OF WHAT WE CAN OFFER CATALOGUE AVAILABLE ON REQUEST OR WITH FIRST ORDER
AJilrrii .
1 enclose Chequer FO for I. . payable to Soft Touch
or dcbil mjf Access, card No . . . .
ALL POPULAR MICROS CATERED LOR HARDW ARE SUPPLIED AT DISCOUNT PRICES ENOUIRF-S WELCOME
Please rush me:
L _ _ _ _ _
2. . . . . .
3. . . . .
4 . . . .
VAT and Po&t^fe included
|
INSTOCK Spectrum 48 K try FREE - 2 Arcade games worth EH £129,95 |
BBC Model B irw FREE Killer Gorilla f Program f^jwer, worth £7 95 €399.95 |
|
VIC 20 21 K |
|
|
Surfer Pack |
1541 Disk |
|
MRJI |
Drive |
|
FREE |
£199.95 |
|
Database |
|
|
Program |
|
|
£165,95 |
Computers by Post
CashWCarry Now Available at our OoijdonShowroom
All Prices Include VRT
Th* UK * Best Printer Prices DfllSYWHtH LITTEK QUALITY
Sm*h Corona TPIfP Of $) 203. 17 + VAT- £235 95
JuWWOOCP) 339 09* VAT £389 95
Silver Seed EXF500 |P| 21691 * VAT - E329.9S
9rqth#f H0S£P) 3-73.87+ VAT- E621.9S
PRINK# TYPtWRITfRS
Brother IPttfat mortis (S) 130 39 + VAT £149.9$
Aemita/ 201 Doily (p-, 347 78 * VAT f 399 95
bib** Peed EX4 4 Daisy *he*< ($) 339 09 + VAT £ 3B9 95
POT mRTRIX PRINTERS
IPSOH «K60 (P) 774 CU + VAT =
EPSON RJteO F TCP> 252 13 -VAT-
EPSON f U O (Py 350 48 - vaT -
E PSON mKOO f T fR> 33994+ VAT =
EPSON FJOOOE T TP) 469 52 + VAT -
S*ika*ta GPtOOA (P) IS*. *8 + VAt -
SeAoafia GWOORS £5) 182.574VHT- 1209,95
SwhMhQ GPtOOVC (C8m> W7 S7+vnT- 1209 95
Se*<*ha GP2SOX (P 4 5) 217 35+ VRT- £249 95
F><r,on Feed Adapts 26 04 + vPT- 129 95
SeiKoiho &P7GOA cqtoyr <P) 355 48+VRT- U09 95
SlOr CmW lOi<P) 234 74+vflT- £269 95
Star DP$1L + 2* Buffer {Py E2PO 63+VlflT- £299 95
SNn*aCTflOCP> 243.44+VHT- 1179.95
Wa jupply O. wide range of Cables and Interface! Phone tor Detail* (P)-PWai*-Cef*ronie! (S>$eaaJ «$232
VIC-20 Starter Peck Midi
ine Cassette Deck plus IQ FREE frames 01595
64
£18*.*5
Epson HX20
with case
irx FREE
Micro Cassette Dr ne worth EBQ
E399+\AT=
1458.85
£25195 C2H9 9S £409 95 £495 95 ES39 95 0 79,95
VIC 16H Rflm Inc Database
Cairene Program
I6K 3K SwHtUbie Bflm Pad,
VIC 20 SIC ONCouefle
1 525 Tmctor Prfn»et
1 526 Foctwn Tractor Pnnler 1520 Colour Printer Patter 1701 Colour monitor Stmom &oiuc POfTl Eaiyicnpt irf PDisI i Petjpeed Compeer E>ik Atari
400 T6K Inc WWlC 800 4BK me BASIC 600*1 16K Dragon Hew Drawn Dragon 32
Disk Drive me Controller
|
me. Dtpi Interface Rk |
£619$ |
|
|
1299B |
model' E IncDitk 1 f |
£4$9.95 |
|
134.9S |
Cwnono QkIOOK DDCSX100 |
£179.95 |
|
C79.9S |
CuAtooo 1.200K DDCSX20D |
£219.9$ |
|
£44 95 |
CwitonolKlOOK DDtocPSU |
£369,9$ |
|
£21 S 95 |
Cumaf«2*200KDQ.n<P$U |
£3991$ |
|
£309 95 |
tumona 3i4£X)K DO if< P$U |
£499 9$ |
|
1149 9$ |
fin above Cumema Diih Drive* |
include |
|
1214.9$ |
Cable, rrvar^ai + form, duk |
|
|
£44.95 |
microvRec 14 " AGS PTlorirf or |
£2359$ |
|
£699$ |
wordwi»w p ffom |
£39.95 |
|
£449$ |
Beeb-coicW PCOm |
£35.95 |
|
fleam Electron |
Phan#! |
|
|
147.9$ |
Sinclair |
|
|
1369 95 |
Spectrum 16K |
194.95 |
|
1159.9$ |
Spectrum 4$K *ee bo» above |
|
|
2X Printer |
137.9$ |
|
|
£2199$ |
Kempcton Printer 1 F |
£44 95 |
|
US9 9S |
Kempston Joy*iKk 1 f |
117 95 |
|
£259,9$ |
I6M-4BH Upgrade |
£24.95 |
Delivery by Secuneor- FREE Dfffovwy and Packing \ Send aft the coupon or order by 'phone quoting your Recess Bcvdaycard No, Phone OLD 81 B7BS. Immediate despatch on receipt: of order or cheque clearance
STAR GfifnES LTD
96 North End, Croydon. Surrey. Tel: 01-681 8785
These pncei correct until *upe*ceeded by nest advertisement
Rll the good* \n this advertisement Cut available for EXPORT,
ITgt Star Camel Ltd-- 96 North End, Croydon, Surrey. CRO IUD
I Please supply
I
i I enclose my cheque far 1 I (FPEE deft very and pocking)
I or charge my Recess Bardayeard No I Norn*
Signature
FVN FEBRUARY 1! 19*4
|
Juki 6100 |
[459 |
Daisywheel |
• |
2400 |
2000 |
6.0 |
10 12.15 |
16 |
165 |
13 |
454 * 520x151 |
14 |
4 |
• |
• |
• |
• |
9 |
9 |
• |
• |
9 |
M7 |
|||||||||
|
Lear Siegier |
£1,667 |
M 9 x 9 |
19200 |
2000 |
68 |
10.12 |
ISO |
216 |
16 |
66 6 x 50 2 |
22 7 |
5 |
» |
• |
9 |
9 |
9 |
• |
9 |
14 |
||||||||||||
|
Lbgaba*LX2l3 |
£1,840 |
M9*9 |
• |
9600 |
4000 |
6.0 |
10.12 16 5 |
100 |
218 |
15 |
5? 1 x 43 2 |
17 |
5 |
• |
* |
• |
9 |
• |
9 |
is ' ; |
||||||||||||
|
Logaba* LX217 |
£2242 |
M9*9 |
• |
9600 |
400 |
6.0 |
10.12.16 5 |
100 |
210 |
15 |
57 1 x 43 2 |
17 |
5 | |
■ |
• |
• |
9 |
• ' |
• |
9 |
13 |
|||||||||||
|
M»cro Peripherals 99G |
£517 |
M 9 m 7, 11 *9 |
• |
• |
9600 |
2040 |
6.0 |
10 12,16 5 |
100 |
136 |
9,5 |
41 1x273 |
6 7 |
2 |
9 |
• |
• |
9 |
9 |
* |
9 |
• |
9 |
9 |
^ 13 |
|||||||
|
Mcro Peripherals 150G |
£918 |
M9*7. 11x9 |
m |
« |
9600 |
0192 |
6.8 |
10.12.165 |
150 |
226 |
15 |
58 4 k 39 9 |
112 |
2 |
9 |
• |
• |
9 |
9 |
9 |
• |
9 |
13 | |
|||||||||
|
MT1M l |
£600 |
M 9x7 |
9 |
9600 |
132 |
6,8 |
10.12 5 16 6 20 |
160 |
13 2 |
10 |
34 3 x 24 1 |
75 |
4 |
M3 |
||||||||||||||||||
|
MT120L |
£765 |
M9x? |
m |
9600 |
132 |
68 |
10 125 16620 |
160 |
132 |
10 |
34 3 x 24 1 |
75 |
4 |
M3 |
||||||||||||||||||
|
MT10O2I |
£1,845 |
M 7x9 |
+ |
9600 |
210 |
68 |
10.16 6 |
200 |
210 |
16 |
55 9 x 76 2 |
06 |
5 |
• |
9 |
• |
9 |
M3 |
||||||||||||||
|
MT1802L |
£2 205 |
M 7x9 |
+ |
9600 |
210 |
6 6 |
10 16 6 |
200 |
218 |
16 |
55 9 x 76 2 |
06 |
5 |
• |
9 |
• |
9 |
M3 |
||||||||||||||
|
MT44CI |
£1.966 |
M9x7 |
• |
+ |
9600 |
220 |
3.4 6 0 12 |
10.12 5,16 6 |
400 |
220 |
18 |
88 > 45 7 |
36 |
5 |
9 |
9 |
• |
9 |
M3 |
|||||||||||||
|
MT440L |
£2.105 |
M9x? |
• |
+ |
9600 |
220 |
3.4.6,0,12 |
10.12 5.16 6 |
400 |
220 |
16 |
66 * 45 7 |
36 |
5 |
9 |
9 |
9 |
9 |
M3 |
|||||||||||||
|
MT420I |
£802 |
Mix? |
• |
+ |
9600 |
220 |
3,4.6,0,12 |
10.12 5 16 7 |
200 |
220 |
16 |
66 x 45 7 |
36 |
5 |
• |
9 |
9 |
9 |
• |
9 |
9 |
M3 |
||||||||||
|
MT420 L |
£954 |
Mix? |
• |
9600 |
220 |
3.4.60.12 |
10.12 5 16 7 |
200 |
220 |
16 |
66 * 45 7 |
36 |
5 |
• |
9 |
9 |
9 |
• |
9 |
9 |
M3 |
|||||||||||
|
MT140I |
£1.593 |
M 9* 7 |
• |
+ |
9600 |
218 |
6.6 |
10,12 5.16 6 20 |
160 |
218 |
16 |
48 3 x 24 .1 |
75 |
4 |
M3 |
|||||||||||||||||
|
MT140L |
£1669 |
M 9«7 |
• |
9600 |
218 |
6,6 |
10.12 5.16 6.20 |
160 |
218 |
16 |
40 3 x 24 1 |
75 |
4 |
M3 |
||||||||||||||||||
|
MTSO |
£327 |
M7 x 8 |
• |
( + 1 |
960 |
2040 |
6.0 |
58 10,17 |
80 |
142 |
10 |
37 7x295 |
53 |
4 |
M3 |
|||||||||||||||||
|
Newbury Labs 1S50 |
£747 |
Mix? |
9600 |
2000 |
60 |
5.6,8 5.10 12 17 |
120 |
230 |
155 |
55 9 * 30 5 |
11 |
3 |
9 |
Ni |
||||||||||||||||||
|
Newbury Labs 05 1 QA |
£552 |
M9x 7 |
9600 |
3000 |
6.6 |
5,6.8 5.10 12.17 |
120 |
132 |
10 |
55 9 x 20 0 |
65 |
3 |
9 |
N1 |
||||||||||||||||||
|
Newbury Labs IML4G |
£1 478 |
Daisywhee* |
2400 |
2000 |
6,0 |
10,12 |
40 |
163 |
15 5 |
559x432 |
14 |
2 |
9 |
• |
9 |
9 |
• |
9 |
9 |
• |
9 |
9 |
Ni |
|||||||||
|
OKI Mcroferw 60 |
1 £24 2 |
M 5x7 |
• |
9600 |
256 |
6,0 |
5,10.16 5 |
80 |
132 |
95 |
34 2 * 24 5 |
65 |
4 |
9 |
9 |
9 |
9 |
XI |
||||||||||||||
|
OKI Micrpiine 02A |
070 |
Mix 7 |
m |
9 |
+ |
1200 |
132 |
6.0 |
5,0 3.10,165 |
120 |
132 |
9 5 |
36 1x32 8 |
69 |
4 |
9 |
9 |
9 |
• |
9 |
• |
9 |
9 |
XI |
||||||||
|
OKI MicroJine B3A |
£606 |
M9x7 |
9 |
9 |
1200 |
132 |
6.8 |
50 3.10,165 |
120 |
132 |
15 |
51 *32 8 |
14 |
3 |
9 |
9 |
9 |
• |
9 |
• |
9 |
9 |
XI |
|||||||||
|
OKI MiCrOline 64 |
£940 75 |
M |
• |
4000 |
132 |
60 |
5,8 3 10.12.17 |
200 |
231 |
15 |
51x320 |
14 |
3 |
XI |
||||||||||||||||||
|
Ovett. DM5050 |
M 7x9 |
9 |
+ |
4 |
9600 |
1000 |
6 |
10.125.165 |
100 |
132 |
9 |
11 6*30 |
75 |
2 |
9 |
• |
• |
9 |
9 |
• |
9 |
9 |
B2 |
|||||||||
|
Oiiven DM5 TOO |
£1,033 |
M 7w:9 |
9600 |
256 |
6 |
10,12,16 5 |
140 |
220 |
14 75 |
59 2x401 |
1? |
4 |
9 |
• |
• |
ft |
• |
9 |
9 |
62 |
||||||||||||
|
Overt. DM5200 |
£1,351 |
M 7x9 |
• |
9600 |
256 |
6 |
10.12,16 5 |
200 |
220 |
19 75 |
59 2 x 40 1 |
17 |
4 |
• |
• |
• |
9 |
• |
9 |
9 |
B2 |
|||||||||||
|
Qiiveni OY-211 |
Daisywheel |
9 |
• |
9600 |
1000 |
6 |
10,12,15 |
29 |
196 |
17 |
54 1 *32 8 |
16 3 |
4 |
• |
* |
• |
9 |
• |
• |
* |
• |
9 |
9 |
02 |
||||||||
|
Qi.veni OY on |
£1.322 |
Daisywheel |
+ |
9600 |
1000 |
6 |
10,12.15 |
39 |
225 |
1725 |
60x50 |
17 |
4 |
• |
• |
• |
9 |
• |
• |
• |
• |
m |
82 |
|||||||||
|
Ovetli JR1Q1 |
£420 |
Dry InkJet |
9 |
9600 |
1000 |
6.8 |
10.12,10 |
50 |
147 |
9 |
39*260 |
52 |
1 |
• |
• |
02 |
||||||||||||||||
|
Orvetli TH240 |
£661 |
Thermal $x / |
• |
9600 |
1Q00 |
6 |
10 |
240 |
00 |
0 75 |
40 1x34 |
7,5 |
1 |
• |
• |
9 |
• |
* |
• |
B2 |
||||||||||||
|
Olympia ESW102RO |
£1.917 |
Daisywheel |
+ |
• |
19200 |
4000 |
6 |
10.12,15 |
24 |
141 |
17 |
52 0 x 37 |
13 |
6 |
9 |
• |
ft |
9 |
9 |
• |
• |
9 |
• |
15 |
||||||||
|
Olympia ESW103KSR |
£1,263 |
Daisywheel |
• |
19200 |
4000 |
6 |
10.12,15 |
24 |
212 |
17 |
52 6 * 43 i |
145 |
6 |
9 |
• |
• |
9 |
9 |
• |
9 |
9 |
• |
IS |
|||||||||
|
Olympia E$W3Q0QRQ |
£1 306 |
Daisywheel |
19200 |
4000 |
3.4 6 |
10.12,15 |
50 |
225 |
17 |
60 4x40 8 |
19 5 |
6 |
9 |
• |
• |
9 |
9 |
• |
9 |
9 |
9 |
IS |
||||||||||
|
Phillips M ul la rtJ GP300 |
£2.267 |
M |
• |
19200 |
512 |
3,4.6,0.12 |
10.12.15 |
300 |
100 |
14 4 |
64 5x52 3 |
24 |
6 |
R2 |
||||||||||||||||||
|
Prime* 920 |
£2.012 |
M |
• |
9600 |
1792 |
6.8.12.16 |
10.12,13 3.16 7 |
340 |
227 |
16 |
59x425 |
20 |
4 |
• |
• |
• |
9 |
9 |
9 |
9 |
9 |
T3 |
||||||||||
|
Qume Sprint 9 35 |
£1 892 |
Daisywheel |
1 |
9600 |
500 |
6.6 |
10.12.15 |
35 |
190 |
15 |
61 3x49 9 |
19 |
3 |
• |
01 |
|||||||||||||||||
|
Qume Sprint 9 45 |
£t 966 |
Daisywheel |
+ |
1 |
9600 |
500 |
3.6.8 |
10,12,15 |
45 |
198 |
15 |
61 7x42 5 |
204 |
3 |
• |
Q1 |
||||||||||||||||
|
Oume Spr.nl 9 55 |
£2,403 |
Daisywheel |
+ |
1 |
9600 |
500 |
3 6 6 |
10,12,15 |
55 |
198 |
15 |
61.7x42 5 |
204 |
3 |
9 |
Q1 |
||||||||||||||||
|
Rair Decwnter III |
£2,261 |
M7x7 |
+ |
• |
9600 |
1000 |
2.3,46.0,12 |
5 6 6 G.B 25.10.13 2,16 5 |
100 |
132 |
15 |
69 9 x 60 9 |
46 4 |
3 |
• |
9 |
• |
9 |
Rl |
|||||||||||||
|
Rair Decwriter IV AA |
£1 200 |
M7x9 |
• |
300 |
258 |
2.3.4 .6.0. 12 |
56 6 68 25.10 13 2 16 5 |
30 |
127 |
15 |
57 1x39 4 |
11.3 |
3 |
9 |
• |
9 |
fil |
|||||||||||||||
|
, Rair 630 |
£1 940 |
Daisywheel |
• |
9600 |
760 |
68 |
10.16 5 |
40 |
198 |
15 |
59 9x46 4 |
272 |
2 |
• |
• |
9 |
9 |
9 |
• |
9 |
9 |
9 |
Rl |
|||||||||
|
Rair B20 |
£1.529 |
Mix7 |
+ |
• |
9600 |
1280 |
6.8 |
10.165 |
150 |
132 |
15 |
66x53 4 |
102 |
6 |
• |
• |
9 |
9 |
• |
9 |
9 |
Rl |
||||||||||
|
Pair Centronics i so 4 |
£722 |
Mix 7 |
• |
9600 |
MA |
6 |
10 |
150 |
132 |
10 |
36 1*35 6 |
9 |
2 |
• |
Rl |
|||||||||||||||||
|
Hair IbKas instruments 743 |
£1,437 |
Thermal |
• |
300 |
NA |
6 |
10 |
30 |
00 |
6 5 |
39 1x40 6 |
61 |
1 |
• |
9 |
9 |
Rl |
|||||||||||||||
|
Rcoh RPl 300 Rewrite* |
£1,144 |
Daisywheel |
9600 |
200 |
8 |
10.12.15 |
37 |
163 |
15 |
593*332 |
14 |
7 |
A1 |
|||||||||||||||||||
|
Rcph RP 1 600 Rewrite* |
£1,702 |
Daisywheel |
9600 |
2000 |
6 |
10.12,15 |
60 |
163 |
15 |
62 5*35 5 |
22 |
7 |
Al |
|||||||||||||||||||
|
Ricoh HP 1600$ |
£1,867 |
Daisywheel |
+ |
* |
9600 |
4000 |
6.6 |
10.12.1 5 |
65 |
204 |
13 5 |
635x362 |
27 |
7 |
9 |
M4 |
||||||||||||||||
|
Sanders S700 |
£2.875 |
M |
« |
9600 |
2000 |
6,0 |
6.10,12,15.17.10 |
450 |
234 |
!.: |
47x56 9 |
236 |
5 |
• |
• |
• |
9 |
9 |
9 |
9 |
9 |
9 |
9 |
A2 |
||||||||
|
Santee $700 |
£3.082 |
M96 x 28 |
!+) |
• |
9600 |
2.000 |
12.6.6 4 |
20,16.15.12.10.6 |
500 |
256 |
14 6 |
57x47 |
236 |
5 |
R6 |
|||||||||||||||||
|
Seikosha GP100A |
E247 |
M 5x7 |
9600 |
256 |
6 |
6,12 |
50 |
80 |
10 |
427*238 |
4 5 |
3 |
• |
9 |
9 |
04 |
||||||||||||||||
|
Shirwa-CTl CPao |
£333 50 |
M 9 x 13 |
9600 |
132 |
6 |
11 |
00 |
142 |
10 |
295 x 377x125 |
5 3 |
4 |
M7 |
|||||||||||||||||||
|
, Smith Corona TP t |
£557 |
Daisywheel |
19200 |
N A |
3.4 5.6 |
10,12 |
120 |
126 |
13 |
49 5x31 5 |
04 |
5 |
• |
• |
• |
• |
9 |
9 |
D1 |
|||||||||||||
|
Sard $LP 160 |
£724 |
M |
9600 |
136 |
6.6.9 |
10,12 |
120 |
136 |
IS |
51 x36 |
13 |
5 |
# |
• |
• |
9 |
9 |
9 |
9 |
9 |
9 |
$12 |
||||||||||
|
Sotd SWP20 |
£1 444 |
Daisywhee |
9600 |
2000 |
6.0 |
10.12,15 |
16 |
132 |
15 |
66 x 44 7 |
22 |
5 |
• |
• |
• |
9 |
9 |
9 |
9 |
9 |
S2 |
|||||||||||
|
Star DP S480 |
£251 |
M |
+ |
2400 |
132 |
6 12 |
10.12.107 |
100 |
132 |
105 |
39 4x32 4 |
8 5 |
2 |
• |
• |
9 |
9 |
9 |
• |
9 |
9 |
1 S3 |
||||||||||
|
Star DP-510 |
£333,50 |
M9x9 |
4* |
9600 |
2 300 |
6.0 |
10 12.17 |
100 |
132 |
10 |
315x392*136 |
7 |
3 |
M7 |
|
Hite & VMtei |
i! |
1 1 f! |
IN T| hf ACES • me in d ripe Options ■t trill OSH+J |
— |
5 II SI |
t & 1 |
f | |
is |
jl |
I ft |
I ■ 1 si |
E | ft |
■ — I i |
■ f J. |
■ s 1 |
■ I |
m I |
■ I i |
■ T i 1 |
■ 1 m |
■ W i 1 |
End Mtttwd |
j |
|||||||||
|
■ 1 5 |
I 5 |
* |
1 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
$ 5 |
1 |
1 |
, |
9 |
t I |
i I 1 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
PRINTERS |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Star DP-SI 5 |
£460 |
M9*9 |
• |
9600 |
2.300 |
66 |
10.12,17 |
100 |
233 |
15 |
515 * 542* 136 |
10 |
3 |
* |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
9 |
M7 |
|||||
|
SysiiFTw Systerm |
£1 90S |
M |
• |
9600 |
256 |
60 |
10 |
120 |
132 |
16 |
71 7*61 |
53 |
6 |
9 |
# |
• |
□ |
• |
• |
S4 |
||||||||||||
|
SySUme Sysprinl-S |
£1 599 |
M |
• |
96O0-* |
256 |
60 |
10 |
" 120 |
132 |
16 |
71 7*61 |
53 |
JL |
9 |
• |
• |
□ |
-®L |
S4 |
|||||||||||||
|
Tandy TRS80DW2 |
£1.299 |
Daisywheel |
• |
9600 " |
2000 |
6 |
10,12 |
43 |
163 |
165 |
62 4*20 4 |
27 |
4 |
• |
9 |
9 |
• |
□ |
9^ |
• |
• |
Tl |
||||||||||
|
Texas instruments 745 |
£1.470 |
Thermal |
• |
300 |
256 |
6 |
10.17 |
30 |
60 |
05 |
39 1 *406 |
135 |
1i |
■ |
9 |
Rl |
||||||||||||||||
|
Texas Instruments 701 |
£1 259 |
Thermal 7*5 |
• |
• |
9600 |
256 |
6 |
10.17 |
120 |
60 |
05 |
406*1524 |
05 |
1 |
• ’ |
□ |
9 |
• |
D5 |
|||||||||||||
|
Te*as instrument 810 |
£1.369 |
M9x7 |
• |
9600 |
256 |
60 |
5.0.10.16 5 |
150 |
132 |
15 5 |
65 4*500 |
25 |
9 |
• |
□ |
9 |
9 |
D5 |
||||||||||||||
|
TRD 1 70S |
£834 |
Daisywheel |
19200 |
256 |
6 |
10.12,15 |
17 |
132 |
L 15 5 |
64 *45 7 |
40 |
5 |
9 ' |
□ |
9 ' |
9 |
D5 |
|||||||||||||||
|
Toshiba TiSSO |
£1,495 |
W |
9600 |
256 |
6 |
10 12 |
" 192 |
192 |
15 |
55*36 |
199 |
3 |
• |
• |
9 |
jf |
9 |
• |
9 |
□ |
• |
*9 |
T |
9 |
» |
T4 |
||||||
|
Wallers WM2000 |
£477 |
M9*9 |
9 |
+■ |
\T |
19200 |
750 |
6,8,12 |
5.66.0 3,10.13 3,16 6 |
126 |
132 |
10 |
43 9x33 5 |
12 |
4 |
• |
• |
9 |
9 |
• |
9 |
□ |
9 |
Wl , |
||||||||
|
Wallers WM4000 |
£713 |
M9*9 |
9 |
rr |
: |
19200 |
1500 |
6,8,12 |
5.66.0 3,10.13 3 16 6 |
150 |
220 |
15 |
63*39 |
13 |
5 |
• |
9 |
V |
• |
9 |
□ |
V |
Wl |
|||||||||
|
ZX Printer |
£40 |
Electrical |
— |
— |
— |
— |
N A |
NA |
9 |
32 |
50 |
32 |
4 |
14*4 6 |
ISI A |
i |
— |
_ |
9 |
— |
V |
i |
— |
_ |
V |
— |
— |
V |
S5 |
MONITORS
These have been split into colour and monochrome
Screen sin is a diagonal measurement in inches, Nearly all monochrome monitors accept a composite video signal from the computer and most computers are equipped with composite video output Colour monitors feature a wider range of signal systems than mono and it is important to match the output oi your computer to the input of the monitor An a udi u chan nel wi 1 1 enable sound to be output from a speake r inside the mon i to r M ono tl nl refers to the co lour ot the text on a mono monitor Some monitors come with an anti -glare filter to relieve operator discomfort Band width refers to the frequency range of signals >0 which the monitor can respond in MegaHert* Del resolution indicates the number of dots which can be displayed across the screen the more dots, the sharper the picture Dimensions indicates the area the unit occupies on the desktop
|
Vite & Mode |
5 .> i 1 |
if |
Sumi |
n 1 |
n 1 1 ii |
— k Jl |
I |
1 |
| i |
1 l |
||||
|
2 s I |
J |
3 |
! 1 c |
t B I St |
||||||||||
|
COLOUR MONITORS |
||||||||||||||
|
CrottonCl401 |
£300 |
14 |
■ |
□ |
■ |
10 |
6O0 |
37*42 |
10 |
C4 |
||||
|
HM 2713 |
£3,120 |
13 |
□ |
25 |
720 |
54*40 |
36 |
01 |
||||||
|
HM 27190 |
£2,553 |
19 |
□ |
25 |
960 |
50*49 |
46 |
B1 |
||||||
|
HM 2719C |
£3,042 |
19 |
□ |
25 |
960 |
50*49 |
46 |
01 |
||||||
|
HM3619 |
£3.548 |
19 |
□ |
45 |
1200 |
50*44 |
40 |
01 |
||||||
|
Kaqa Vision 11 |
£327 75 |
12 |
□ |
9 |
15 |
510 |
32 * 303 |
125 |
D6 |
|||||
|
(Jon Cub 1431-TTL |
£266 |
14 |
□ |
7 |
505 |
65*57 5 |
11 5 |
S6 |
||||||
|
Uon Cub 1 436 |
£316 |
14 |
■ |
9 |
7 |
505 |
65*575 |
115 |
S6 |
|||||
|
Lion Cub 1445 |
£633 |
14 |
# |
9 |
IS |
095 |
65*57 5 |
11 5 |
S6 |
|||||
|
Lion Cub 1449 |
£604 |
14 |
15 |
095 |
65*57 5 |
It 5 |
S6 |
|||||||
|
Lion Cub 1451-TTL |
£430 |
14 |
• |
10 |
653 | |
65 * 575 |
11 5 |
SO |
||||||
|
Uon Cub 1455 |
£483 |
14 |
• |
10 |
653 |
65*57 5 |
11 5 |
S6 |
||||||
|
Uon Cub 1459 |
£459 |
14 |
10 |
653 |
65x57 5 |
11.5 |
S6 1 |
|||||||
|
Lion Cub 203 1-TTL |
£344 |
20 |
~9 |
7 |
505 |
65*575 |
11 5 |
S6 |
||||||
|
U>n CUb 2051 m |
£646 |
20 |
■ |
■ |
• ■ |
■ |
■ |
■ |
■ |
10 |
940 |
65*575 |
11 5 |
S6 |
|
MlU&IMK |
i! |
Si if |
s 1 |
1 l t |
ii as |
I |
I |
i 1 i |
, |
|||||
|
| |
EL |
3 E 0 |
I I |
t B I St |
||||||||||
|
Luxe* Oignai |
£574 |
14 |
9 |
• |
• |
25 |
000 |
NA |
15 7 |
PI |
||||
|
Luxor Linear II |
£643 |
14 |
9 |
• |
• |
25 |
800 |
NA |
15 7 |
Pi |
||||
|
Microtech 14 |
£402 |
14 |
• |
9 |
• |
• |
18 |
505 |
33.7 * 40 8 |
12 6 |
M6 |
|||
|
TM 22 |
£329 |
6 |
* |
• |
55 |
NA |
22 * 34 5 |
4.1 |
33 |
|||||
|
VM 14PSM |
£370 |
14 |
• |
• |
55 |
300 |
47*40 |
136 |
JO \ |
|||||
|
Wo« Cub 1435-TTL |
£358 |
14 |
£ |
T |
7 |
653 |
65*575 |
115 |
S6 |
|||||
|
Wolf Cub 1456 |
£454 |
14 |
—It |
10 |
653 |
65*57 5 |
11 5 |
S6 |
|
MMtuodn |
1 t i |
1 1 |
! i |
I I |
| £ 11 |
t Ii |
si |
I I I |
i 1 |
||
|
MONOCHROME MONITORS |
|||||||||||
|
AVTDM210G |
£130 |
12 |
Green |
9 |
12 |
750 |
308*296 |
95 |
U |
||
|
EG 100 |
£77 |
12 |
Green |
a |
700 |
37 5*29 |
8 |
U |
|||
|
EG 101 |
£91 |
12 |
Green |
12 |
700 |
37 5*29 |
^ 8 |
LI |
|||
|
LEDM091D |
£99 |
9 |
B0W |
~9 |
12 |
750 |
22*24 |
54 |
LI |
||
|
LEOMD910 |
£121 |
9 |
Green |
9 |
12 |
750 |
22*24 |
54 |
LI |
||
|
Luxor 10 |
£212 |
10 |
Orange |
9 |
[ 22 |
625 |
NA |
1 |
Pi |
||
|
M9 |
El 31 |
9 |
Green |
15-22 |
650 |
22 4 * 25 7 |
57 |
PI |
|||
|
Ml 2 |
£144 |
12 |
Green |
15-22 |
600 |
293*30 |
93 |
PI |
|||
|
Mowex |
£114 |
12 |
Green |
12 |
750 |
NA |
NA |
PI |
|||
|
N12 1003 |
£112 |
12 |
Green |
24 |
800 |
23*265 |
7 |
PI |
|||
|
Prince |
£126 “ |
12 |
Green |
24 |
800 |
33*50 |
7 |
C4 |
|||
|
PM 102 |
£126 |
9 |
Green |
9 ' |
24 |
000 |
22*28 |
7 |
C4 |
||
|
Zenith ZVM1 21 |
£99 |
12 |
E |
• ' |
Green |
m‘ |
IS |
NA |
29*29 |
6 5 |
P2 |
|
U300 |
£149 |
12 |
• ■ |
■ |
Green |
9 u |
18 |
NA |
)4 8*36-1x29 1 |
! 77 |
H4 |
DISK DRIVES
This section is divided into categories covering SV-in and Bin floppy disks Disk data capacity is measured in kilobytes IK) one kilobyte — 1 .024 characters A no ol disks column is included because some disk units contain two disk drives
Manufacturers can vary the number cri disk data tracks and these are divided into sectors This sectoring system allows the information to tie stored and retrieved by reference to a timing mark on the disk so the computer can keep track ot its rotation The system can be hard . where reference is kept by a hole ih the disk, or soft, where the disk position is monitored by magnetic signals Some drives have one read write head for each side of the disk so the buyer has a choice between single or double sided drives H5 means that the drives are both single and double- sided As disk technology advanced it became possible to cram more data onto the floppy so drives will feature either single or double {data) density, BO means that the drives are both single and double density The interlace acts as an interpreter so the computer and disk can exchange information Each device must have the same interpreter beforea useful cable connection can be made The conned to column allows you to match the disk interfaces to those included m the disk drives or available at exira cost
|
Vine wd Modr |
i! |
.1 |
1 £ |
| |
l |
5. if |
CW¥KCliV> |
|||||||||
|
Pi |
£ |
i |
1 Ss |
\l |
f li |
r- if |
' 1 1 |
|||||||||
|
5lU DISKDRIVES |
||||||||||||||||
|
Apple H |
£399 |
143K |
j |
35 |
16 |
SS SD |
* |
rr |
P2 |
|||||||
|
Atari |
£299 |
90K |
i |
40 |
Soft |
SSSD |
' I |
V |
A4 1 |
|||||||
|
BASF 6 106 |
£195 |
500K |
i |
46 |
Both |
SSGD |
06 |
|||||||||
|
BASF 6106 |
£240 |
500K |
j |
46 |
Both |
DS BD |
j |
[ |
Jt |
B6 |
||||||
|
BASF 6110 |
£279 |
1Mb |
i |
96 |
Both |
DS BO |
B6 i |
|||||||||
|
Canon X63O0 |
£500 |
64 OH |
T |
60 |
Soft |
DS.DD |
t ] |
V |
CS |
|||||||
|
CD 40 |
£679 |
400K |
2 |
40 |
Both |
SS BD |
L |
! ■ |
— 1 — |
* |
C6 i |
|||||
|
CDMA |
£424 |
50QH |
2 |
40 |
Both |
5SBD |
'* |
C6 ! |
||||||||
|
CD ME |
£569 |
1Mb |
2 |
60 |
Both |
SSGD |
• |
C6 ! |
||||||||
|
CD MF |
£712 |
2Mb |
2 |
80 |
Both |
OSBD |
V |
H |
— |
C6 ! 06 ! |
||||||
|
CD BO |
£765 |
800K |
2 |
80 |
Both |
SS BD |
||||||||||
|
CD BOD |
£949 |
1 6Mb |
2 |
80 |
Both |
SS BD |
C6 |
|||||||||
|
Commodore 1 Ml |
£229 |
170K |
J |
35 |
son |
SS SD |
hr |
*_ |
02 C2 |
|||||||
|
Commodore 2031 |
£339 |
17QK |
1 |
35 |
Soft |
SS SD |
• |
i I |
||||||||
|
Commodore 0250 |
£1,029 |
2Mb |
2 |
77 |
ScH |
DS DD |
* |
C2 |
||||||||
|
Control Data 0400 |
£221 |
250K |
40 |
Boih |
SS BO |
• > |
1 |
C7 |
||||||||
|
Control Date 9409 |
£272 |
BOOK |
40 |
Both |
DS BD |
C7 |
||||||||||
|
Control Date &4Q9T |
£420 |
1Mb |
Jl |
60 |
Boih |
DS BD |
■ 1 |
• |
C7 |
|||||||
|
Control Date Zl 141 |
£225 |
250K^ |
1 |
40 |
Both |
SS DO |
3 |
MS |
||||||||
|
Control Date ZL1 41 B |
£175 |
250H |
1 |
40 |
Both |
SS DD |
MS |
|||||||||
|
Control Date ZL 142 |
£360 |
500K |
2 |
40 |
Both |
SS DD |
v |
M6 |
||||||||
|
Control Date ZL24 10 |
£240 |
500H |
J |
40 |
Both |
DS DD |
M5 |
|||||||||
|
Control Date ZL291 |
£390 |
1Mb |
T |
80 |
Both |
OS DO |
n |
B |
Mb |
|||||||
|
Control Date ZL29V |
£405 |
|500 1Mb |
i |
40 80 |
Both |
DS DO |
“H |
• |
Z |
Mb |
||||||
|
Control DateZL291B |
£320 |
1Mb |
i |
60 |
Both |
DS DD |
• |
MS |
||||||||
|
Control Date ZL292 |
£640 |
2Mb |
2 |
60 |
Both |
DS DD |
v |
MS |
||||||||
|
CS 40 |
£4 a? |
20OK |
J |
40 |
Both |
SS BD |
z |
; ; |
j |
• |
C6 |
|||||
|
CS50A |
£229 |
250K |
1 |
40 |
Boih |
SS BD |
□ |
V |
06 |
|||||||
|
CS50E |
£305 |
500 K |
1 |
60 |
Both |
SS BD |
, i |
• 1 |
C6 |
|||||||
|
CS50F |
£397 |
1Mb |
1 |
BO |
Both |
DS BD |
j |
V |
C6 |
|||||||
|
CS BO |
£523 |
400K |
J |
80 |
Bom |
SSGD |
V |
C6 |
||||||||
|
CS BOD |
£627 |
BOOK |
1 |
80 |
Both |
DS BD |
zt |
V |
C6 |
|||||||
|
Cu maria AS 100 |
£252 |
2O0K |
1 |
35 |
Soh |
SS BD |
— 1 |
« |
zr |
C6 |
||||||
|
Cumana DA0O35 |
£657 |
655K |
2 |
BO |
Sort |
SS BD |
• |
C6 |
||||||||
|
EG 401 AT |
£370 |
102K |
2 |
40 |
Sort j |
SS BD |
• |
Lt |
|
tonrwets Id ] |
||||||||||||||||
|
Mmt jed Mod** |
Lf{j |
l |
i * D i |
| |
I |
s* II |
a i |
i |
s & |
f |
i |
ji |
i |
! |
||
|
FD 525 A |
£270 |
143K |
i |
40 |
1 Soft |
SSSD |
FI4 |
|||||||||
|
Gemmi 625 |
£403 |
400K |
i |
80 |
' sort |
SS DD |
m] |
G2 |
||||||||
|
Gemini 825 |
£510 |
800K |
V |
160 |
soit |
DS DD |
1 |
* |
G2 |
|||||||
|
Germ™ 825 |
£661 |
BOOK |
2 |
00 |
Sort |
SS DD |
* ’ |
G2 |
||||||||
|
Gerrnrw 825 |
£776 |
1 6Mb |
2 |
160 |
sort |
DS DD |
V |
G2 , |
||||||||
|
Lowe EG 40QAT |
^£426 |
200K |
2 |
40 |
soft |
SS BD |
V |
LI |
||||||||
|
Lowe EG 4001 |
£253 |
102K |
1 |
40 |
sort |
SS BD |
• |
LI |
||||||||
|
M 4653 |
£311 |
1Mb |
1 |
@0 |
Sort |
DS DO |
a |
A3 |
||||||||
|
M 4654 |
C368 |
1 6Mb |
l |
77 |
Sort |
D S DO |
• |
A3 |
||||||||
|
Megastore M lOS |
£1,034 |
1 2Mb |
2 |
00 |
Soft |
DS DD |
j |
• |
VI |
|||||||
|
Mu H> Floppy Drive |
£592 |
0Mb |
5 |
770 |
SCI |
SS DD |
• |
: ; |
1 : |
HI |
||||||
|
RM MDS-1 |
£1,950 |
144K |
1 |
40 |
Soft |
DS SD |
w\ |
. □ |
• |
R3 1 |
||||||
|
RM MDS 2 |
£2,147 |
2B8K |
2 |
40 |
sort |
DS SO |
□ |
# |
R3 |
|||||||
|
Socwpioe |
£663 |
0Mb |
5 |
770 | |
Soft |
SS DD |
T |
, J |
1 |
•r |
||||||
|
Sharp MZsoFB |
£656 |
560K |
z |
70 |
Soft |
DS DO |
n |
— 1 |
T |
S7 |
||||||
|
Tandy Colour |
£449 |
175K |
1 |
40 | |
Sort |
SS DD |
* |
T1 |
||||||||
|
Tandy 26-1 160 |
£299 |
75K |
4 |
40 1 |
sort |
SS SD |
* |
T1 |
||||||||
|
Tandy 26-3023 |
£299 |
156K |
35 |
Sort |
SS DD |
m |
Tl |
|||||||||
|
Tandy Model i |
£309 |
90K |
i |
35 |
sort |
SS SD |
r |
• |
Tl |
|||||||
|
Tandy ModeM1 1 |
£369 |
175K |
2 |
40 i |
sort |
SS □□ |
■ |
• |
Tl |
|||||||
|
TM 101-4 |
£282 |
1Mb |
1 |
160 |
Sort |
SS DO |
HI |
|||||||||
|
TM 102-2 |
£393 |
2Mb |
1 |
160 |
Soft |
SS DD |
□ |
HI |
||||||||
|
TM 848- 1 |
£389 |
800K |
1 |
77 |
Sort |
SS DD |
■ |
HI |
||||||||
|
T M 50- 1 |
f 147 |
250K |
1 |
40 |
Sort |
SS DD |
□ |
HI | |
||||||||
|
TM 100-1 |
£156 |
2S0K |
1 |
40 |
Soft |
SS DD |
_ _ q |
Hi |
||||||||
|
TM 100-2 |
£221 |
500K |
L |
60 1 |
son |
DS DD |
. . |
HI |
||||||||
|
TM 1 00-4 4M |
£247 |
1Mb |
i |
160 |
Sort |
DS DD |
□ |
HI |
||||||||
|
Tracker i |
£373 |
1Mb |
2 |
00 |
Soft |
SS DD |
L ! |
6 |
D7 |
|||||||
|
Tracker 2 |
£497 |
2Mb |
2 |
SO |
Sort |
DS DD |
V |
— |
07 |
|||||||
|
Conmsasto |
||||||||||||||||
|
Viw JmJMoW |
i! |
| |
* |
| |
w I |
l. if |
i |
i |
i |
lS |
i |
i |
i |
I |
f 1 |
|
|
8 DISKDRIVES |
||||||||||||||||
|
ACP700iAC| |
, £293 |
1Mb |
rr |
77 |
Set |
DS DD |
rrr |
• |
E2 j |
|||||||
|
ACP7MIDC) |
E316 |
1Mb |
i |
77 : |
Sort |
DS DD |
t |
V |
E2 | |
|||||||
|
ACPI 500 (DC! |
£403 |
2Mb |
i |
77 |
Sort |
DS DD |
c |
q |
r . |
E2 |
||||||
|
CaWisk 142M |
£465 |
500K |
i |
77 |
Boih |
SS BD |
.... |
'* |
E2 |
|||||||
|
CaW.sk 143M |
£522 |
1 2Mb |
T |
77 |
Boih |
DS BD ' |
• |
I |
FI |
|||||||
|
CaWisk 143M-1 |
£465 |
500K |
\T |
77 |
Boih |
SS bd' |
F3 |
|||||||||
|
Commodore 6200 |
£2 760 |
987K |
2 |
77 |
Sort |
DS DD' |
C2 |
|||||||||
|
Canon X 8330 |
£1 200 |
2Mb |
153 |
Sort |
DS DD |
CS |
||||||||||
|
Control Date 9404B |
£684 |
0OOK |
1 |
77 |
Boih |
SS BD ' |
M5 |
|||||||||
|
Control Date 9406-4 |
£1.144 |
1 6Mb |
1 |
77 |
Boih |
DS BD' |
M5 |
|||||||||
|
Econ FDfl ID DO |
£1.430 |
1Mb |
1 |
77 |
Sort |
S S DD |
■# |
E3 |
||||||||
|
Eicon FDfl I D SD |
£1,397 |
500K |
1 |
77 |
Sort |
BS SD |
L |
E3 |
||||||||
|
Eicon FD6 2D FBR |
£1740 |
1Mb |
2 |
r~ 77 |
Sort |
OS SD |
E3 |
|||||||||
|
Eicon FD6 2D DO |
£2.013 |
2Mb |
2 |
77 |
Sort |
SS DO |
E3 |
|||||||||
|
Eicon FDfl 20 SD |
£1,972 |
~~ (Mb |
2 |
77 |
Sort |
sssd' |
i |
tm |
E3 |
|||||||
|
Eicon FDfl ID FBR |
£1.240 |
500H ’ |
1 |
77 |
Sort |
DS SD |
i |
1# |
E3 |
|||||||
|
F311 |
£1.725 |
' 1 2Mb |
2 |
76 “ |
Sort |
DS SO |
. L |
L |
> |
S5 |
|
MjlfinaMoW |
I V £ If |
Jj |
1 s S |
|J |
f 1 |
If |
||||||||||
|
& |
1 |
i |
A«M1I |
1 Si |
i 5 |
1 |
I |
f |
||||||||
|
8 DISKDRIVES |
||||||||||||||||
|
F320 |
£2,300 |
2 4Mb |
Z_ |
71 |
Soft |
DS DD |
• |
B5 |
||||||||
|
M 2894 |
£499 |
16Mb |
1 |
77 |
Soft |
DS DD |
ft |
A3 |
||||||||
|
M 2896 |
£493 |
1 6Mb |
1 |
77 |
Soft |
DS DD |
• |
A3 |
||||||||
|
Megastor 1 T DD |
£1.133 |
2Mb |
2 |
77 |
Soft |
DS DD |
• |
VI |
||||||||
|
Megastor 1 1SO |
£1.010 |
1Mb |
2 |
77 |
Soft |
DS SD |
" V1 |
|||||||||
|
Megastor 111 |
£1,121 |
2Mb |
77 |
Soft |
DS DD |
VI |
||||||||||
|
R M FDS-2 |
£3,789 |
1Mb |
77 |
SoN |
DS SD |
R3 |
||||||||||
|
Tandy Model 11 |
£999 |
4B6K |
1 |
77 |
Soft |
OS SD |
T1 |
|||||||||
|
Tandy Model 16 |
£94 y |
1 2Mb |
1 |
77 |
Soft |
DS DO |
Tl |
|||||||||
|
Tandy Model 16 |
£1.549 |
2 5Mb |
_2_ |
77 |
Soft |
DS DO |
A |
Tl |
MODEMS
A modem interfaces a computer and the telephone system so computers can communicate over lemi to electrical pulses or sounds that can be seni down the line A modem can be connected to the line directly or acoustically A D in the con ne cli on column represents direct link, while A indicates acoustic The acoustic coupler is like a female telephone handset with a speaker m the coupler opposing the phone's mouthpiece and a microphone opposing the earpiece A B in this column indicates that both methods ot attachment are available Baud rate shows the speed with which the data is transmitted The modern must be connected to the computer through an interface The interface column lists the mam interfaces fealured j on each modem Asynchronous means that data may be Iransferred at intervals as available or as needed Synchronous data is transmitted ai regular intervals Simple! transfers data in one direction, while Hall duple i can transmit receive in either I direction but not simultaneously Full duplex transmnsand receives mlormationm both direchonsat once Some mode ms can | originate a call or start a two way conversation Answer means they can respond to a call I root another computer
|
Mike amt Model |
A |
| |
is il |
| |
i |
|
AD 1223 |
£287 50 |
D |
1200 |
RS232 |
|
|
AJ 311 |
£320 |
8 |
300 |
RS232 |
|
|
AJ 1234 |
£684 |
A |
1200 |
RS232 |
|
|
AM 211 |
£387 ^ |
B |
300 |
RS232 |
|
|
Bermac 1200 1 Model A |
£414 |
D |
1800 |
RS232 |
|
|
Bermac 1200 1 Model B |
£460 |
D |
1000 |
RS232 |
|
|
Commodore 64 Modem |
£99 95 |
D |
1200 |
C-64 cartridge pod |
_ |
B3
DISTRIBUTORS
Ai Appropriate Technology, Q1 -625 5575 AJ Advent Data Products, Meiksham 7062B9 A3 A Hex Microcomputers Lid . Read, iw] 791 579 A4 Alan International (UK), Slough 33344 AS Anderson Jacobson Ltd. SLough 25172 AS Alpha Datesystems 053 27
Bi Bylech Reading 61031 B2 British Olivetti 01-785 6666 B3 Barron McCann Biggleswade 316286 BA Bencom Sendata (UK) 01-940 1386 B5 Baydel Ltd Leather head 37801 1 B6 BASF. 01 388 4200
Cl Centronics GH581 101 1 C2 Commodore Business Machines Slough 79282 C2 Caicomp Ltd. Bracknell 502 1 1 C4 Crolton Elect rooics. 01 491 1923 C5 Canon (UK) Ltd. 01-680 7700 ClCumana Guildford 503121 C7 CBL, Reading 792097
- - - — IMfe - 1 - * - ■ ■ - I DRG We
|
CCITT CAT |
£228 |
A |
300 |
RS232 V24 |
• |
[ft |
• |
J# |
08 |
||||
|
CDSV22 |
£719 |
D |
1200 |
RS232 V24 |
ft |
• |
"* |
m |
DS |
||||
|
DSL2I23 |
£329 |
0 |
300 taco |
RS232 V24 |
• |
• |
> |
* |
m |
DS |
|||
|
Prism VTX5000 |
£99 95 |
D |
1200 |
Sinclair Spectrum |
# |
• |
• |
P3 | |
|||||
|
Pnsm 1000 |
£69 95 |
0 |
1200 |
RS232 |
• |
• |
[ft' |
*1 |
P3 |
||||
|
Pnsm 2000 |
£84 94 |
D |
1200 |
RS232 |
• |
• |
P3 |
||||||
|
Sendata 700 Senes A |
£253 |
rA |
300 |
RS232. 20tna |
1 |
• |
• |
• |
• |
B4 |
|||
|
Sendate 700 Senes B |
£224 |
A |
300 |
RS232.20ma |
1 |
• |
* |
• |
B4 |
||||
|
Sendata 700 Senes C |
£309 |
A |
600-1200 |
RS232, 20 ma |
1 |
• |
* |
• |
• |
B4 |
|||
|
Sendata 700 Senes E |
£149 |
A |
300 1200 |
RS232, 20 ma |
1 |
ft |
• |
ft' |
B4 |
||||
|
RacaJ 1 26 LSI |
£782 |
D |
2400 |
V24 |
• |
w\ |
. |
• |
R2 |
||||
|
RacaJ MPS 3021 |
£295 |
D |
300 |
V24 |
• |
• |
•* |
• |
R2 | |
||||
|
Racal MRS 1222 |
£678 |
J |
1200 |
V24 |
ft |
ft |
• j |
*1 |
ft |
R2 |
PLOTTERS
Plotters use a pen to put graphics or characters on paper under the command of a computer They a re usuaPfyoneof two types— | flatbed or drum A flatbed holds the paper flat while the pen draws on it in two dimensions A drum plotter turns the paper vertical y on a cylinder while th e pen moves ho rrjontaUy Most plotters ca n change pens du ring ope rat ion so a va rtety of colours and line thicknesses a re available. Mai pens indicates the number of pens in operation or on standby Dimensions of the paper fo | be used a re listed u otter paper trie . Maximum platting spe ed m easu res the d i stance m m I I 1 1 met res per sec covered by fhe pen Interfaces are included in the basic price or come at extra cost
|
Wjt- #nd M«tf 1 |
Is |
1 |
1 i |
1 ! |
ill |
§ |i I* |
1 |
|
Cfltodmp81 |
£3.392 |
~FTaT |
A3 |
30cm |
RS232 or IEEE |
03 |
|
|
HP 7470A |
£1.317 |
Drum |
T |
A4 j |
38 1cm |
RS232{IEEEr) |
H2 |
|
MTPiJty 3 |
£688 85 |
Flat |
3 |
A4 |
200mm |
ParalleHRS232 -1-) |
M3 |
|
PDA |
£585 |
Flat |
1 |
A4 |
700mm |
(IEEE + ) |
J2 |
|
RY-21 |
£747 50 ' |
Flat |
1 |
A4 |
200mm |
Centronics, (RS232 *| |
R5 |
|
RV-tOMZ |
£1.865 |
Flat ^ |
L |
A3 |
400mm |
Centronics, (RS232, IEEE - 1 |
R5 |
|
Strobe IOC |
£662 |
Drum |
1 |
A4 |
7.6cm |
IRS232. Parallel f) |
D6 |
|
TRS-60 Ren Ptofter |
£1.399 |
Fiat |
6 |
A4 |
6 6cm |
RS232 |
r ti |
|
Watan abe WX 4635 |
£2.301 |
Flat |
1 |
A3 |
250mm |
| Centronics, RS232, IEEE + ) |
E4 |
|
Watanabe 4637 |
£2,862 |
Rat |
2 |
A3 |
400mm |
(Centroncs, RS232. IEEE + ) |
E4 |
|
Watanabe 4638 |
£2 635 |
Rat |
| f |
A3 |
400mm |
(Centronica, RS232. IEEE - } |
E4 |
|
Watanabe WX 4671 |
£1.129 |
Flat |
t |
A3 |
50mm |
Parallel (RS232. IEEE + I |
€4 |
|
Watanabe 4675 |
£1,638 |
Flat |
j6 |
A3 |
50mm |
Parallel 1RS232, IEEE+J |
E4 |
|
Watanabe 4731 |
£1.761 |
Drum |
4 |
A3 |
200mm |
(Centronics. RS232, IEEE * | |
E4 |
Uily Ltd Reading 7887 U MA Mterapute
D1 Discom. Evesham 3591 D2 Datairade Ltd. Nortoampion 22289 D3 DlMCS Lid 06 1 -643 0016 04
feston-super-Mare
415398 05 Data Systems Division. Bedford 223889 01 Data Efficiency Hemei Hempstead 63561 07 Daia Track Technology Mew Mi lion 619650 Da □ acorn Systems Milton Keynes 676797
El Epson (UK|, 01-900 0466 E2 Etecomatic 04T-88T 5825 E3 Eicon Barhill 81625 E4 Environmental Equipment Northern Ltd, Nantwich 625115 ft Fastcol. Reading 791557
G1 Geveke Electronics. Woking 26331 62 Genum Micros, Amersham 28321
Ml HAL Computers Ltd Farnborough 517 1 75 M2 Maywood Electronic Asoc Lid 01-428 01 1 1
II inlorme* Lid, Ot -318 4213 12 Inlae Date Systems. Rotherham 547170 13 ITT Business Systems Brighton 50711 1 14 ITT Consumer Products. Basildon 3040 15 mieiigenl Interfaces, Stratford-upon-Avon 296879
J1 Jones 6 Brother 061-330 6531 J2J J Lloyd Instruments, Locksheath 4221 J3 JVC Ot 450 2621 LI Lowe Electronics Matlock 4995
Ml Mitsui 8 Co Ltd. 01-600 1777 M2 Modata Tunbridge Wells 4 1 555 M3 Mannesmann Ta __
Macclesfield 615384 M5 Microwave. 01 272 6237 M6 Mic-rotech Leeds Leeds 679964 M7 tficm Peripherals Lid Basingstoke 3232 N1 Newbury Data Recording, Wewbury 48864 ^
PI Phoenix Technology. 01-737 3333 P2 Pete 6 Pam Computers. Rossendaie 22701 1 P3 Pham Microproducts 01-253 2277 01 OumeiUKi Ltd, Reading 584646
R1 Rair Lid, 01-836 692r R2 Riva Terminals. Woking 71001 R3 Research Machines Ltd. Oxford 249866 R4 Roland (UKi Hd 01-568 4576 H5 Rikadenki Miisui Electronics 01-30/ 51 1 1 R6 Heat Time Punters Ltd 0276661 444 St Smljon Electronics, Reading 875464 S2 Sord 01-930 4214 S3 Stoiron Coventry Si 3521 $4 Systime Leeds 70221 1 S5 Sinclair Research CambeHey 60531 1 S6 Silicon Express. Leicester 37491 7 S7 Sharp Electronics. 061-205 2333 T1 Tandy Company. Walsall 646T01 T2Tnump Adler 01-250 1717 T3 Technology ForBu&ness.oi -837 1271 T4 Toshiba Office international Sunbury-on Thames @5666 T5 Torch Computers 06284 75303 VI Vlasak, High Wycombe 448633 W1 Walters Microsystems ln| Ltd High Wycombe 44^175 XI k Data Lid Slough 723331
Z1 Zygai Dynamics, Bicester 3361 22 Zenith Data Systems. 0452 29451
Vataptus have made their name supplying computer peripherals at competitive prices.
I believe that we have now found the best price/performance daisy wheel alternative to dot matrix. The ideal printer for both data and word processing . Truely, a high quality machine at an affordable price * As Managing Director ; / guarantee you won't buy better'
So whatever your computer — BBC. Spectrum*Commodore* Dragon, One, Apple and many others — make the most of it and turn your computer into a quality printing system for home correspondence, documents, short stories and business use.
Use standard stationery or, for ONLY E79 (iff ordered with your TP1) we will supply a tractor feed so you can use continuous or fanfold paper.
This is just one offer you can't miss. To avoid disappointment RING NOW on our 24 hour answering service 0242 527412 to place your order quot ing your Access/Barclaycard No*, expiry date and full name and address OR complete the coupon below and POST TODAY
Please allow 28 days delivery. If not completely satisfied return goods in original packing within 10 days of receipt and we will replace or refund your money in full*
For technical queries telephone our Expert Hotline 0242 37373 or visit our showroom at 39-49 Roman Road, Cheltenham.
• i #•
* *
# • • • t
|
■ CBM 64 tk Spectrum Computers require a special interface cable kli. For assistance & price phone our Technical Hoi line. |
|
|
SPECIF iCATlONS Print Speed: 130 wpm Character set 126 ASCII Sfl printable Character spacing 12 CF*t Printing: Unidirectional Paper width: IT max Writing line: 105 126 character line Line spacing: 6 lines per inch Paper Feed: Friction, single sheet or fanfold. 340 volts. SOHar Dimensions: (H) M* (WJ 19.5‘ (0} 12.4‘ Weight: ta.5 tbs |
Operator Controls: Power orvotf , lop of form, impression controls {5 levels! INTERFACES Parallel Centronics compatible. 7 bit parallel data. 3 control lines (dal a. strobe, busy, acknowledge! Serial RS233C compatible. 50-19200 BPS, parity and character bit length all switch selectable |
Datapius-PSi Ltd 39*49 Roman Road Cheltenham GL51 flQO. Reg. No. 1715371 England Offer open to UK only while stocks last.
To DATAPLUS-PSI Ltd 39-49 Roman Road Cheltenham GL51 GOO
|
Qty |
Description Price |
Total |
|
TPltS) with RS232 £250 interface |
||
|
TP1 with cen ironic £250 interface |
||
|
Interface cables £15 serial/ parallel * |
||
|
Tractor Feed E79 |
||
|
" Delete as appl icabfe Total |
FCN3
I enclose my cheque for £ _ crossed
and made payable to DATA.PLU&PSI Lid or charge my Access Bardaycard * Account No.
n in . . . .
Expiry date of card, _ _ _
Signature . .
Name .
Address . . .
Postcode
Telephone NO:. . . .
Make/ModeJ of my computer . .
I
I
I
J
PCN Billboard
**P** II with disk-drive + coni card. Jung card, MO col card, manual, plenty of software, mint condition, wjU dclrvcr m W Midlands. £875. cash needed ti> hoy arTcl : Ogl-327 3998 (7-Sprn only) Maltol littclinivon hcHne video computer pluv 14 guim-v, cartridge*, excellent condition. £95 411-9798343 Mini -computer,. Gun fighter. Electronic Mastermind. for vale. Worth £65, veiling; for WJ. Craig Hinev, Km Wahon Lane. Nelson. Lanes. 0282 637MJ after 6pm. Swjp i - -r-iwk Sped rum venous software, cumpule r flash jt u n . darkroom elect run re exposure meter plus beep rimer Mr R Maekav, Broth rnhhic. Brora. Suther¬ land. Scotland KW9 hNE Mattel inteitnision with Soccer and Star- Strike cartridges, £7U Oxford 773273, Oric-1 1GK computer, boxed, still under guarantee, power pack, all leads, four tapes, hooks, mags, £91). Ring 921-426 36«5.
Acnm Atom I2K 4 12k. lulls expanded plus toolkit. ROM and SMP. supplied with some software Re liable machine, £30, 01 -M2 4029
HtwbraM AD (32K.). casseiic recorder, thermal pooler, K inch Sony TV. Total price £250c«to. Pbtme 01-486 MKK eves Tandy TRS 80 level IE including £390 of software and monitor. £290. Woking 67454 eves
C8M 64 Pt-n-Pxl wanted to exchange software and ideas, t I lines, Kkl Walton Lane. Nelson. I ants (0282)637*9 DraKcm wftwm. 16 items, cost well over £ 111), only £50 Tel: Brighton 699921 Swap Scwetruni software 1 have over bif popular idles Send your list for mine. Eddie. 65 Anncr Road, Dublin H, Ireland
Atari software to sell or sw ap . ROM sand cassettes. ROM's warned. River Raid. Joust, Music Composer. After 6pm. TeE Tony Meih (0326)21 1ST,
Horn hr trains, complete Link* model building systems, lots of stamps, £40 Dragon 12. joysticks, software and mags, £180. £195 the lot. Bobby (eves) 0ft 01-672 6383
BBC drill based software to sell including Program Power. Acontsofl. Bughytc AHo original cassettes. Program Power, Aoormofl, Superior. OJi-977 5134 (after 4). ask for David.
Dragon 32, In tapes Putman, Invaders, Centipede. Bezerk, Defender, Donkey Kong, etc Professional joyAkb with magazines three months old. good condition £200. Phone 571)75 13, Spectrum software, ^11 or swap half price. Artie, Chess II, Cyrus. Chess and others wanted, Devpue 111 + ulililics. etc. Swansea 208940.
Apple software manuals, dixu mentation, over 150 available, not photocopies, j Also busi ness, utilities and many arcade, j adventure games. John Davcy, 44 Hazdmcrc itijad, Stevenage . i lens . Appfe MHwara - dBase II. MagiCale. Visil'ak, many adventu re arcade
games, business, utilities. Also hand'
Hazel mere Road. Sievenage. Herts, Mfwbraia AD, excellent condition, still under guarantee, beginner* guide, makes ideal business machine. £ I Wono, Rayleigh {Essex). 026B-77WKK7 eves. Tandy hires graphics unit Model [. 384 x 192. user definable characters, demo software, onboard Eprom I6K 48k enhances basic, cost £17(1 accept £85 Can install Faitscal 823126 Spectra m software I or sale . sc nd SAE for list Manic Miner. Valhalla. Right cic C Hicks, 5 Eden Road. Skelton. Suit hum. Cleveland TSI2 2NB. All £3 Wanted, Mari manuals, magazines. good price paid Tel: Phil on (0336) 2404 between 6 and 7pm.
$w*ctnim Hobbit £8. Chequered flag. Aquaplane. Maziucv River Rescue. £4 each 4 Sony Walkman El cassette + radio£32. 0494-44 J 184. High Wycombe, ask for Lee.
Swap mg Atari VCS plus 5 cartridges and suitable cash adjustment for any ZX Spectrum. Folkestone 0303-76444. ask for Nij, evenings.
Dragon 32 plus joystick, light pen. £50 worth of good software, books. Excel lent coruhiton, worth over £270, super s alue al £1441 Rcigatc 47438 evenings. Atari software inswap, caw lie programs and cartridges. Music Composer car¬ tridge particulars wanted. 0442*832625 after 4pm. ask for Neil Spectrum Forth 48K) cassette. Chris) mas gift, cost £14 95. Will sell foe £8.50 Manuals included. 01 -593 5056,
Smp Newteam AD 32k, manuals. Assembler Disassembler. Home Budge i , The Valiev . assort cd programs Warned disk drive for BBC 01-441 3L52 day lime only, exi 244.
Cawtrunici Printer wanted. Centronics 737/1 or 737/2 in food order. Phone details and price please 601 -439 484 1 . m-B0 Model Modal I Level It 16k, instruction course, software, several hooka on programming, vgc, bargain £120 Oxford 724121 after 6pm Apple 2% dual disks, corn roller. 80- eolumn card, monitor, Appfewmct 2c, Under one scar old, worth £1*600. accept £ 1 ,000 0773-83 1 29 1 ( near Derby Nottingham)
ATARI *00 16K Program recorder. Basic. Diamonds game plus manual s 6 Mon ths old. £125- Will swap for 4KK Spectrum. Watford 43114
Nat£Mt | for sale plus spare hoard and component* Worth £150, must sell £50 ono Heme I Hempstead 2 11323, eves lynx 488 plus manual, leads, books and eavielfcs Mill under guarantee, tlbtl ono, Lack of computer time forces sale Stevenage 0438-820363.
Atari VCS plus 9 cartridges including Pac-Man. Defender, Space-Invaders, paddles, joysticks Will sell separately.
£1441 ono (5705-476357 (Tony ) .
Swop Spectrum Software, all lop prog¬ rams , Contact John on (I I - 346 97 ID after 6pm of weekends.
Bwicart “Tower of Power" exiemwn modules for ZX8I . comprising Persona. Minimap. 64K RAM . HK DROM Cost £212, yours for £100. Dave on 01-980 8410
Dragon 31, casxc I lc . joystick v. B W TV. hooks, magazines, cartridges, £150 worth of software, £180 ono. 06077- 4874 . Notti ngham area 374874 SpKtrum Software, -irigin.il lapes Mr Wimpy. Hobbil. Kong. Leap Krog, Trans- Am. Penelrator. Aiic-Alae, etc, only £2 50 each. (7582-452970, after 5pm , ask 1 r V in cs n I
OrifDfl 318 computer, professional joy¬ sticks with interface, 1 7 tapes (games J. total software valve £136, good ctmdi- iKin . three monlhs old Bargain at £190. 0I-570 7513-
VIC-20 Software In sell or swap, Phone Roger aflcr6pm 0252-872310,
VIC-26 Soft-wire r, - sell or swap Phone Eddie after 5 Jqptri , ( M42-833820 MicruJrivf - >rdcr form In highest bidder Oric software £4 each. Chess, 30- Maze Break tail. Dinky Kong Pete. Wakefield 0924-373132. after 6pm please Old macs sale. PCN 34 Ip each. Popular Computing Weekly 20p each, t &V Games 55p each, pfus others Spectrum Gobble. A -Ghost £3.50. 01421 1108 (Simon).
Arcade jimn for vale on dis k . w orth £60, accept £25.40. Track disk only. Bolney 736. after 7pfu, ask (Of Tc*
Commodore 64 Software For safe, most half price Pukakuda £3. Cyclons £3. Falcon Patrol £3 5«. Hello Sianlcy Smeghead£2. Walcrinov i lie 66855, aflcr 6pm
& Spsetrwn 488 £80, ZX primer £25. various games cassettes, all half price, various Spectrum books half price. ZX Interface 2 £12. Joystick fkcmpstnn) £10 Crawley 0293 885010 CBM 64 Software io swap. China Miner, Falcon Palrol. Kick Off. Hunchback plus many more. U622-6I917 alter 6.30pm. ask for fan.
Dragon 32 Gamut, Alcatraz, II. Froggcr, £5 each. Michcal Octave 411-693 8595. after 4pm.
Atari SOD recorder ROM. games, joy¬ stick. Basic progams, books, £250 ono . Hnmdcan 591477
488 Spcctru m. under guarantee + £600 of software including Valhalla, Hobbit. Scrabble- Value £725. «ll for £275 ono <11-521 2663
Sail, Swop, -r buy BBt B soflwarc, send lists to 32 Mendip Way, Longbenton. Newcastle upon Tyne NE12 8UR. 1 1632-665 184
TRS-80 PCI including primer cassette
interface, software and btxiks. All in good condition Any offers? Francis 01-833 0987 evenings Atari 400 I6K, cassette. Bavc carl ridge software, manuals. £150. (11-985 5816. Wanted Sp>ecl rum snfiwarc. makers ori¬ ginals with casscllc slip complete All types purchased, large collections pre¬ ferred. Will colled in London. Details first 01-520 0904.
Wanted JHK ZX Sped rum, will pay up to £80. 724-0653 in London We-20 ink ^uchablc RAM pack, joystKk, 4(1 cassette games and LO cartridge games fall lop tillcs), £ 1 50 the lot. 01-881 I75S evenings only 68C micro | including dbk Interface, printer, £541 of software. £20 of maga¬ zines W'orlh over £600, only £450 ono. Cambridge 0223-245 799 (upgrading). BBC modal fi, BBC daia recorder. Mkrovisc sound system, speech synth¬ esiser and topis of software Bargain al only £43(1. 0978-355044. evenings only please -
SfLlimw 4 DM Mifjware to swap, send cassettes plus name of game you want to Ton s . 40 Cecil Rhodes I louse . Pancras Road. London N W I 01387 5477 Vic -20 w-tih cassette deck, joystick, program manual and Mifiw-are worth up to £?5 selling for only £150. Rurcn on 572-6725 if interested Wanted Drag-on 32 users in the South¬ ampton to Salisbury area for pen-pals. Write to Ashlcv R Adamson. Si Elmo, Slab Lane, West Wcltow, Romsey, Hants SC5 0B Y
BOOKS: Star Ship Simulation,
Elementary Pascal. Zxtl1 inslant pro¬ grams, £2.50 each Worth £5 + each. Macdetfidd 0625-72988 evenings or weekends,
Agpte | Europlus wanted with two disk drives. Dot matrix and Quine printer preferably Tel: 04353-2902 (Horam). VTc-20 plus I6K and various software Cost £300. will accept £150 ono. Tel: 01-690 0309 alter 6pm Commodore 94 plus, disk drive, disk Chess. Word Processor, games, all as new in boxcs,£3<XJ. Phone: Derek 01 -953 2050 cx 212 day time Dick Drive for Apple, slim line, boxed, unused £148 TRS80 DMPI20 printer, unused, bi.xed. £325 . 0626^162455 (Devon |
Nnkriii AD complete wtih three New- brain books and softw are incl Database , Assembler, two adveitlure games plus othe n, £200 ono tH04-J9tKM ( York |. CBM 64 Software, -wop or sell Includes. Manic Miner, Olirta Miner, Jumping Jack , C uddly f ubuit , etc . A ftcr 6. 30pm ask for Ian oft 0622 61917.
1 m D»l with iioofdw AGf prof- rammihlc interface with Atari joystick. £35 of games software, also Explorers Guide to ZX8I . £65 ono. 01-985 6451 evenings.
Vic-TD Software unexparded Oukksilva, Tornado and Calcha Snateha. As new . only £3 each me I p+p Ask for Richard on OM 16-44808
btxiks cic, SAF list. Jtihn Dnty, 44
|
Billboard Buy & Sell Form To place your Billboard ad , fill in the form on the left , with one ‘word per space, up to a maximum of 24 words. Send the completed form, together with a cheque or postal order for £1.50 made payable to VNU Business Publications, to: BUJboiird, Personal C omputer Mews, 62 Oxford Street, Undon W 1 a 21 H r. Note that we cannot guarantee that your ad appears in any specific issue, and that we cannol accept ads from commercial organisations of any sort. Your name: . . ****** . . . . . . |
|||
|
Address: . . . . . . |
|||
|
Telephone: . . . . . . . . . . . ■ ■ |
82
PIN FEBRUARY 18 19K4
MICROSHOP
Rfttet; £12 per single column cm Minimum size 3cm, Series discount available. Also spot colour as .11 1 able Mechanical Data: Column width, 1 column 57mm. 2 colours 1 18mm. 3 columns l7Mnim Cotry Dot**: Ml days prior to publication. Contact: C hristian McCarthy on 01-323 3211
Software
POOLS
PREDICTION
“POOLS WINNER"
KCnohSiiFo
HH ubiik.
pwjrdi (HOtlTpmi me lull OHUTWIMKiK ACferife SwEtW nil BOC DriOOn CprtwiKKm *ph»
QM t» *t J pin Dita n M
SELEC SOFTWARE
Programs Wanted
1 HU 11 1 p*JfM**» 1* »«t 1M ro» 1 n. rp* lot IU1 >
We puv cash tees, rovllli« Jnd ditlribule in (hr UK, USA awl Europe Pfam BaaiiitatAe 10256125107
or write IO
DREAM SOFTWARE LTD
D*pl PCN.
P.O Boh 64. Bisinpalok*. Mints MG 21
WANTED
PERSONAL COMPUTERS
all models bought for cash
Morgan Camera Company
160 Tottenham Court Road, London W1 . Tel: 01-380 2562
WE ARE 64 EXPERTS
This weeks specials include 1541 drwes with CiSOwofth software f t99 * val 80 col cards with free 80 cot WP El 33 + vat We have printer interfaces and tots ol tow cost pnnters. e g CP8G £199 * vat and Daisy Wheel primers from £277 < vai. Disk alignment our speciality
SAE or phone for our comprehensive lists . MILTON KETNES MUSIC i COMPUTERS 17 Bridge Street. Leighion Buuard. Bedfordshire. Tel (0525) 370072. Closed Thursday
mcucin loFTWARE
ORIGINAL-EDUCATIONAL & GAMES ALL PRICED AT NO MORE THAN E5
MALAN COMPUTER CLUB— FREE USE Of TAFfS
COMING SOON — PROBABLY THE FIRST BLUE AQVENTUHE GAME — SO HQ SEX QUEST"
FOR ALL DETAILS SEND 2 - 1 ftp STAMPS NAME: AND ADDRESS TO O. J ARM AIN PO BOX HD. PUR LEIGH. ESSEX CM3 6GH
332^35
PIER
M akti BACK-UP COWS R AH SPCCTRUM pM nid nesdvflms me umsloppHHtl Eftal wt Peiwirt ol * m WANT unique tenures FULL MONET |ACK GUARANTEE r yo-u- W ini uashid
• LOADS m m proomn site CONTINUOUSLY Vi ntas Stops Abr-rt Program Names He etc
* FULL rtftltuctions vtiy user Sr^irdhf
CoslOnryH 7$ <-£1 Furajx- (7 Others I
5 STM* FROM THt HCW BCVIEW WITH 3 WHl 4 iMm ol 100V _
WBvl KM, litiMH kfoCmHiis, Mil Inanu Ut
AMOEBA SOFTWARE
S A WALDEN AVENUE. CHISLEHURST. KENT Telephone: 01-857 8999
LAZE BLAZE
Superb machine code action. Pit your beam against the 2 beams ol the computer. Race your opponent for the random fuel dumps. For the very along of heart, battle to the dealh in the maze 9 speed levels Over 500 Options in this fast moving arena
£5,95
TANK TRAX
A TWO player game lo stretch your skill Destroy your opponents tank before he obliterates yours. Choose the battlefield, fire over the mountains or select foothills and have an eyeball to eyeball confrontation Sounds easy, but don I forget as in all real situations weather plays an enormous pad in success or failure This game is no exception The wind must be allowed for if you have no desire to blow yourself up
Uses all the 48 K memory of the Spectrum £5.95
48K Spectrum
el-j
BUMH CABETTEJ
VALUE
ufldtn it yen v«Kw budget pnets. ftdni in bom of 1C, CDmpielmfrtfi l*Wv willy aide jnd IH
Prices include VAT, past St pecking
LENGTH BOXPMCEIW QTY
5 mms |C.5) £4,55
£4 40 £4.45 £4.50 £4 70 £5-30
noo
10 mm$ (c. 101 12 muns (c 12) 15 mins fe. 15) 30 mins tc.30) 60 mins lc.60) 90 mi ns fc.90)
Owam Postal Order enclosed for
'rutfEftaums'flfLCOut «t«st teams sehv« swoduct euv
Ota FROUMMUMOUHE OF MOFESSttWLKAM) E4S5ETT1S
PROPEi SKXWL mRGTkETlO QD
Ctwrtt Houu 329 Hunsfcl feud Lnds LSlSJVY
FREEPOST t* mmmm
DAVID
MITCHELL
54 CRAIGS DRIVE EDINBURGH
Telephone 031-339 7605
K,T
pt \ FEBRUARY 1 1 1VN4
MICROSHOP
DENIS THROUGH THE DRINKING GLASS
Why did Denis Thatcher visit Ihe Pope wearing a truss and a parachute and carrying a lawn mower?
What use is the cherry blossom?
Who is that strange tramp in the woods?
Only you can discover, but first you mustdeai with Ken Livingstone. Norman Tebbitt and lots of other characters in this zany political adventure.
Written in humorous verse 1 00% machine code — using the Quill from Gilsott
Losing is often funnier than succeeding — don t play it, play with it. — 48 K Spectrum E5.50 ind p&p
ARCHIMEDES' MAGIC SCREW
Fresh from inventing the camel-driven date Stoner. Archimedes is up to his neck in hot water again Help him make new discoveries — help him discover the secret of the universe — help him find the soap.
Probably the most difficult logic problem you will ever have to tackle.
WAIT FOR THE DENIS SEQUEL! THE TE00ITT
Applications software specialists Dept. PCN, B St. Paul's Road, Peterborough PEI 3DW
Recruitment
ENTHUSIASTIC COMPUTER PROGRAMMER OPERATOR
Wanted by West London TV company. Initially for 6 months to work in broadcast graphics and applications software in a variety of areas.
U,C,S.D, Pascal 8006 Assembler on Sirius and Pluto. Basic-6502 Assembler on BBC Micro,
Ability to learn quickly may be more important than formal qualifications. Salary will reflect experience.
Applications to Graham Walker Diverse Production Ltd*
6 Gorleston Street, London W14 8XS
|
O |
|
|
THE BEST FOR THE 64 |
r |
|
1 THE HOBBIT (Melbourne) . |
tit. 65 |
|
2 SKRAMBLE(Anirog) |
£6.95 |
|
3 CRAZY KONG f Superset!) . |
£6 15 |
|
4 MANIC MINER (Software Projects) |
£6.95 |
|
5. CHINA MINER (Interceptor | . |
£6 95 |
|
6 FORBIDDEN f OREST (C0SMI 1 |
£11.00 |
|
7 HUNCH BACK (Ocean) |
£6.00 |
|
Ail prices include p&p Send sae for list, state |
|
|
machine. Cheques and P 0*5 to |
|
|
LA MER SOFTWARE |
|
|
22, West Street We si orv- super -Mare, Avon |
|
|
Telephone: 0934 26339 |
|
WITH nr***. |
||
|
fw f |
Jtop |
|
|
j _ L |
MICRO |
|
|
£=Zp |
_l |
[GET SWOT |
|
48K SPECTRUM |
for details and an order lonn |
|
|
USERS |
wnte. ettdo&ng a STAMPED 4DORESSED ENVELOPE lo - |
|
|
SPECIALISTS IN |
MICRO SWOT, |
|
|
PROGRAMS FOR |
FREEPOST, |
|
|
SECONDARY |
55 Nash Square. |
|
|
SCHOOL |
BIRMINGHAM B42 1 BR |
|
|
SUBJECTS |
I no Stamp required) |
WHOLESALE ONLY
For the very b*M in (Hie, S pert rum mid Ornimodore games from at I the itmjur software ttoiise*.
Also < Irlc ha rdw art mid ucctMTk*. Nevl du> drliv erv
RING
VANGUARD VIDEO
FRESIDN 0772 617665
BOOKS — THIS WEEK
Ut*gllirl4
mmmmmmwwe
Ccm StunvuertB
Rqewhwvrq
IManGiftai
215enMH»iCJinei
COMPUTER CENTRE
IB 19 THE CHARLTON ARCADE HIGH ST. DOVER CT16 ITT TEL: 0304-2 12433
PERSONAL COMPUTERS GAMES COMPUTERS
LARGE STOCKS OF
BBC, DRAGON AND SPECTRUM
We also carry an extensive range of software, games, monitors, printers and drives >
“BASICS”
DECTRADE LTD
39-41 TRUST BOULEVARD WEST BR IDG FORD NOTTINGHAM TEL: QGQ2 119713 TELEX: 377676 NETWRK
MICRO
ENTHUSIAST?
Competent? Communicative? With a professional approach? Retailing or data processing experience?
MANAGER ESS
required lor a new dedicated home compu¬ ter. software and accessory shop in Slough centre. The right money paid lor the right person Accommodaiion is available if required, There will also be an opening for a second in command Please send lull details in writing lo Mode state Limited, Ref PCN, Chile House, 20 Ropemaker St,, London EC2Y 9BA.
THE
n
RUN
IS HERE
Tempt /tempi l vfi try to allure or persuade (someone) to act wrongly, urge to evil acts: induce, persuade: attract, rouse desire in; far} test. Temptation. Leading software publisher accepts only the very best games. Pays highest commission. Innovative pack¬ aging, Send your games to Temptation, 27 Cinque Ports Street, Rye, East Sussex Tel: Rye 223642, tempter / tenner f ft one who tempts; (cap} the devil.
NEWBRAIN SOFTWARE
C«h Book: Invoice and Credit Not*; Sales Day Booh ; Purchase Day Book ; Sales. Ledger ; Purchase Ledger Multi -purpose Dalaba&e All tried end tested programs with hill support.
II
_ _ Rents*.
Tel HOytUM 1 076-31 4&D65
Dealer Enquiries Welcome
PCN FEBRUARY 1 1 1SW4
MICROSHOP
Access
24 hour service for Access Card holders
For Education, Business and Games
for the
Solo Software Ltd, 95B Blackpole Trading Estate West, Worcester WR3 8TJ Telephone: (0905) 58351
Put your finger into the personal computer pie!
Britain's premier personal computer specialists offer a unique opportunity to share in their expertise and success
As the company who first introduced Apple to the U,K,t Personal Computers Ltd. London, are in the forefront of this important and expanding market, Personal Computers Ltd, are major dis¬ tributors for Apple, I B M, and D.E.C. and are appointing a limited number of Individuals or organisations to establish outlets in the U.K.
Investment approx, £70,000.
Contact Mr, Bryan Wilkes, Personal Computers Ltd., 3 Castle St.p High Wycombe, Bucks. T*L 0494 32631.
Personal Computers Ltd
218 & 220/226 Bithopiatl*. London EC?M 4J5 T#l . 0 I 3 77 1 200
WIMBLEDON COMPUTER & HI FI CENTRE
BBC SERVICE & INFORMATION CENTRE
WE HAVE A WIDE RANGE OF PRINTERS, DISK DRIVES. MONITORS AND OTHER PERIPHERALS.
FULL RANGE OF SOFTWARE WE OFFER
FULL DEMONSTRATION FACILITIES.
FINANCE AND LEASING.
EXCELLENT AFTER SALES SERVICE. —
& WELCOME
CALL IN FOR A CHAT OR JUST COME IN AND BROWSE
S3S <f|SS$S3 isffioi
61 THE HIGH STREET,
WIMBLEDON VILLAGE, SURREY SW19
TEL. 01 -879 0857
PCS FEBRUARY 11 JVtW
PUN FEBRUARY II J<*4
MICROSHOP
PLOTTER MADNESS!!
Bulk purchase makes incredible Roland DG DXY100R plotters
available at under half price including C*OQO
XR 01 free and one year's warranty. inc VATU
Call for brochure or demonstration. Ideal for Apple, BBC, Spectrum etc.
This X-V plotter is designed to offer high performance for professional use and yet it is priced low enough for hobby use.
• Mu h (pie intelligent lunciions
Fourteen control oocnntands are included in the OXY-IQCfl The DXY-1 Q0R also provides eight vector commands tor plotting and
An X-Y plotter >s a graphic output unit mat plots and tabulates according to instructions from a computer Up until now X-Y plotters have often been used m specialised tieids due to their high cost The Roland DG DXY- 1 0OR sells at an astonish* ngty low price for popular use yet includes an array ol lunctipns. superb performance and ease ol operation The DXY-1QQR does tabulation automatic measuring and data processing simple graphic drawing, and music scoring; etc The OXY-iOOR has wide applications tor both hobbyists and professional use
# Plotting speed ol 70mm I, Plots up Ip 3BD 1 260mm 1 147 k
10. n
The DXY-100R the hrst ol its kind, is ottered al an extremely reasonable pnee ThisrevotglioruiY p loiter is charactered by lull huglr performance pioltihg and tabulating capacity Quiet operation is an absolute requirement lor a practical plotter The DJfY I OQR successfully reduces mechanciai noise lo a minimum li is suitable lor use either at home or in the small-scale ohice Effective plotting and tabulating sue is up to 360 x 260mm Since each step equals 0 tmm calculation during programming is
FUTURE MUSIC
ing as wen as drafting continuous lines, dotted lines and coordinates five character commands to selec* English capital or small letters numerals, various other symbols and to set lhe*r size artd slant There is also a built-in mode com mand Since each command is very simple programs a re easy to master, even with BASIC I n addil ion the DXY- fQ€H includes a sell-test function to qmckty check performance and operation
# Optional ROM Iw expanded intelligent lunctipni
The DXY-100R has an added intelligent function lor graphing including circular arcs, curves, hatchings etc wlh the optional ROM # 1 1 XY-QR t ) This allows simple programming to generate more sophisticaed tabulating Moreover, with the OXY-IOOR it is possible to tabulate original characters such as trade marks and symbols simply by writing them into the PROM |2?1G)
• Compatible with virtually any personal computer
The DXY- 1 0CR can be connected to any computer with Centronics specification printer compatibility Since computer output connectors differ, the DXY-10OR i$ not supplied with connecting cords Use appropriate connecting cords available separately
10 Badtiow Road, Chelmsford,
Essex. Tel: 352490
Classified ad today . sold next week
THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO ADVERTISE IN PERSONAL COMPUTER NEWS BRITAIN’S NO, I MICRO COMPUTER WEEKLY.
FOR ONLY 35 p PER WORD, YOU CAN RELAY YOUR MESSAGE TO READERS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY!
Write your ad in the boxes below — one word per box and a minimum of 20 words. Write in BLOCK C A FTTALS and don't forge no include your name and address or telephone number in the advert. Underline anv words required in bold type.
Final deadline is ten days "be fore issue date. To ensure that your ad appears in the next issue, fill out the form and send it with your eheque/PO straight away!
Cut out this coupon and send with vuur remittance lo:
MICROSHOP CLASSIFIED, PERSONAL COMPUTER NEWS, *2 OXFORD STREET, LONDON V\ i A 2HG
[ Name,
I Td
Address .
I Please place my advert in PCN for week/s.
I] I enclose remittance for . . . . . .
made payable to Personal Computer I News.
I (Total - Number of weeks x Number of Boxes x 35p)
|
20 |
|||
|
21 |
22 |
23 |
24 |
|
25 |
26 |
27 |
28 |
|
29 |
30 |
31 |
32 |
|
33 |
34 |
35 |
36 |
|
37 |
38 |
39 |
5 |
|
rr m i m. i m n i 1 |
| Bardaycard. Access No.
I
1
87
Word games
Quantum Leap may sound like a name fit for a machine that takes huge technological strides . . , but Sir Clive has been a little less obvious. Taken from the Latin quorum, meaning how much, one way of defining quantum is: the least possible amount that can suffice.
Just say small is beautiful.
Meanwhile Dames are playing different games at Oric, Atmos is
Creek for vapour With your new- ItKik Oric you get an invitation to join the Oric Ow ners Users Group which, apparently, boasts 'an ad¬ vanced research and develop mem section . . which aims to bring you up-to-date hardware add-on's (rre) at favourable members' discounted prices. We have already achieved this for other micros , , .'
They have? You mean this group had the modems and disk drives all the time? Sure makes you think . . .
Model pigs
Hey . pig spender — have we got a program for you. Computer simulation has taken another giant leap forward with the development of the Micro- model Pig, which simulates the
life-cycle of the humble trough quaffer.
So if you’re a pig farmer and feel you could make a lot more money by turning up the heat in the pig unit this is the program. It is being sold , for £550, by 1 1 M Boot, Bleak House Farm, Nantwich* Cheshire,
School daze
Tom Shipman (Supplies) Limited seems to have had a nasty attack of the Lolita complex in packaging Ms latest educational software If only to protect headmasters from them¬ selves we urge Tom Shipman to place a clearly visible ‘ 16 and under1' warning on the tapes and send them out in plain brown cassette wrap¬ ping,
^Mjdlosc j ,„T:_
O
—
PCN DATELINES
Aylesbury, hitherto famous fur ducks, must now become known as the town of two computer clubs, The rc is l he Com pu l e r C lu h , A y les- hury. featured in issue 46. and the Aylesbury Computer Club, not so far featured m PCY bui named by mistake in issue 46. Our apologies to both clubs for the confusion which they will surely agree is wholly understandable.
NEXT WEEK
Stardust — Does the stylish new Oric flatter to deceive? Find out in our exclu¬ sive Fro- Test,
Catch 64 — Jazz up your games programming with a sprite generator for the Commodore 64.
Wider — A machine code
Spectrum routine for a 42 -col¬ umn display,
— Our pull-out \fkro- paedia puts up six 600 XLs in a competi¬ tion.
— A new text designer should give your Dra¬ gon a facelift .
Atari
Dragon
designs
PCN Datelines keeps you in touch w ith up-coming events. Make sure you enter them in your diary.
Organisers who would like details of coming events included in
UK EVENTS
Event
The Apricot &. Sirius Show LET 84
Inhumation Technology & Office Automation Exhibition and Conference
Educational Software Fair
OEM Only Conference Computer Trade Show Scottish Computer Conference Essex Apple Village Computer Aided Design Sir Frederick Osborn School Computer Fair COMPEC WALES
PCN Datelines should send the information at least one month before the event. Write to PCN Datelines, Personal Computer News. 62 Oxford Street, London Wl A 2HG.
February 7-9 February 13-15 February 2 1 -24
March 2-3
March 7 March 13-15 March 13*15 March 25-2* April 3-5 April 8
Kensington 4k Chelsea Town Hall Heathrow Penta Hotel Barbican Centre, London ECl
Organist r»
Dennis J arret i. 24 1 2448 Anthony Farrar. 0923 774262 BED Exhibitions Ltd. . 01-647 3 m\
April 10-12
Dauntsey's School. West Laving km.
Devizes, Wilts
Hilton Hotel . London W I
Wembley Conference Centre
Holiday Inn, Glasgow
Festival Hall. Basildon. Essex
Mel, Exhibition Hall
Sir Frederick Osborn School,
Welwyn Garden City
Cardiff University
P. Harris, Lavington 2446
Tom Lewis. 01-994 6477
Reed Exhibitions. 01-643 8040
Ouadrilect, 01 -242 8697
Database Publications. (MS l -456 8383
Reed Exhibitions, 01-643 8fU0
Alan Henderson. Welwyn Garden 23367 8
Reed Exhibitions, 01-643 8040
OVERSEAS EVENTS
Event Dates
Personal Business Computer Show February 29-
Mare'h 3
Personal Computer Show March 14-17
International Business Equipment & March 13-17
Computer Show
Hung Kong
Sydney. Australia Singapore
Organisers
Overseas Exhibition Services Ltd.. 01-486 1951
ECL Ltd. 01-486 1951 International Business Centre Co. Ltd., 8F Hosoi Building. 15*7, 5-chome Honmachi. Higashi -ku, Osaka, Japan
EDITORIAL editor Ljmi\ SliL Deputy editor GeUfWhedu milt Wlenqjtinic editor l\k . VS utlm. k Sob rdrlors Mai l Is I Arnold. 1 e.«h Hatlwm Ne»s editor kind t.ucM K.ilph M..nuolt Hardware editor | i V l, Features editor In lm L Lil Soft ware editor I V «. ,ip ' 1
WcihIil IVirvm Editor's
M.irk I I-. Assistant
VilCk. RubinMMi Art director ti Sue l k uw
ADVERTISING : Group advertisement men Jiter I' ll Dul.m A* Maric-Therese Bulger Laura Cade. Julia Dale. Paul I tvi ... Subscription enquiries ( Mil Sle* Ln-. Subscript)
Advertising address tC DvMrd Sired I undnntt 3 \
Skinrii. Programs editor k. mi (i.i rn • Peripherals editor I V r> l e I eh Listings Edit or Da* id Knhiu^ii Assistant art editor I Ins d Saiicf’- Layout artist Vied Wmgnn Publishing
D.iiimi Art
secretary I emu Dunne
Tistmenl manager S i . (rf.n lit Assistant advertisement man age r k Salche II f niUjttnH 11 Miiri \k( .imIk
_ , n' 1 ill (Jun Production man aRrr | v,i Haen Micrwhop Production \.kkl Pa Ml Advertisement assistant k.,«vl»
i ■ Subscription address - F nlhMuvl l .uickm \\ I A 21IC.IH iNj; il Editorial address ( Klurd Si 1 1 ti I l viiiJiiei W I A 2lKi"l 6V* wm
Adverti si ngaddrets i. (1*, fouls rr..v- [ uiulimW 3 \ _t K ii>] -32 ' lift NUMb ^ \ 1 litwiw^PuNk.diiiiu I uknlL Itt '<?0\1uid Siiuei hmkm w t x:i|(. , V\l |m*;
reprihlMiVdirt w htdetvr m pun w iihuin u mien umv-ni hum iheesips nghi holder v Pfemr-vi b\ (JukWi I s-i- |si\c lUlSiuet I until m M l Ignited bt Chav.1 U eb Offset. Sr Amlcll. t urnw ill Diijrjbulcd by Sctmour Phrw. 134 Umion R< ud. I inKkm Stt 4. <>|,7.U 4444 ttcgtacrcd u the l‘t> ,is a newspaper
Pi'S FEBRUARY 18 IWM
DOOMSDA
is an arcade style game with the feel of a real adventure
Doomsday Castle consists of a labyrinth of 76 complexly inter-connected Halls and Passages where you will meet a whole host of adversaries serving the infinitely evil Scarthax, the Garthrogs, the Orphacs, the phenomenally nasty Googly Bird and the Urks which manifest themselves in over fifty unbelievably weird and wonderful guises.
Scarthax has scoured the Universe to bring together the six ancient stones of lifeforce. United in Doomsday Castle they are being used to wield an irresistable power over the cosmos, emanating waves of corruption through every galaxy
To save the Universe, you must battle your way through the Castle to find and collect the six
Ybu take on the rote of our super hero ZIGG V shown here above In his exploratory capsule In combat with an Urk disguised as a pangalactk gargleb faster [Ilf This Is a true representation of the on-screen graphics.
stones and use their force against Scarthax to destroy Doomsday Castle, hopefully escaping
yourself before the final _
cataclysmic explosion.
The task is not easy / (saving the Universe ( '^4 never isl) and Tt will take youmany games to unfold the structure of Dgpmsday Castle and discover thelocations of the ancient stones. The addictive arcade style action will keep you coming back to play but the overall challenge should still keep you occupied for months.
FANTASY SOFTWARE
is available from W.H .SMITHS, JOHN MENZIES, LASKYS, GREENS, RUMBELOWS, SPECTRUM GROUP, COMPUTERS FOR ALL and all other good software retailers.
is available tit E6.50 from
FANTASY SOT TWARE . f ALCONBERG I OUGE, 27 A SF GEORGES ROAD, CHELTENHAM. Gf OS GL50 TDT
desp.itcfied by return first class post together with free membership and current newsletter of the f antasy Mu ro Clut)
Trade Enquines welcome telepl tone 0242 - 58 T66I
The escapades of Moon Alert could turn even you into a complete Lunarim!
On the testing greens of Royal Birkdale emulate the golfing greats using your own skill and talents.
Seek out treasures on the Island of Death but beware the dangers of quicksand, tunnel bugs, giant ants and snakes . to name but a few!.
just like the Arcade original, rescue Esmeralda ■ ^ from her castle strong hold and pit your wits against the arrows, fireballs and knights
Mr Wimpy ~ the zaniest burger battle to sizzle your screens
Moon Alert Spectrum 5.90 /
Royal Btrkdale Spectrum 6.90
Island of Death One 6.90 |W
Hunchback Spectrum, Oric* Comm. 64 6.90 wvv
Mr Wimpy Spectrum 5.90, One. Comm, 64 6.90 W ^
Ocean Software,
Ralli Building, Stanley Street, Manchester M3 5FD. Telephone: 06 1 832 9143.
Ocean Software Is available from selected branches of: WQOU/VQRTN VI If SMITH . iohn Menzies LA SKY S . Rum be lows. Spectrum Shops and all good software dealers. Trade enquiries phone: 061 832 7049.